


With Flying Colors

by GalahadThePure



Category: Dragalia Lost (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Smut, First Time, Friends to Lovers, M/M, more characters and tags to be added, oh my god they were roommates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-03
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:00:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 67,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24516532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalahadThePure/pseuds/GalahadThePure
Summary: Curran is eager to start the best four years of his life at the University of New Alberia, but he and his roommate, Heinwald couldn't be more different. Curran is outgoing, always ready to party, and a bit of a playboy while Heinwald is more introverted and devoted to his studies. After receiving a horrible grade on his first term paper, Curran gets a harsh wake up call that college isn't just about parties and girls. He needs a tutor, but lucky for him, he's living with someone who can help.On hiatus
Relationships: Curran/Heinwald (Dragalia Lost)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been mulling on this AU for a while, but I felt now was a great time to write it since I'm coming up on the one year anniversary from when I graduated from UC Santa Barbara. I've been feeling extremely nostalgic for my Alma Mater lately, so many of the locations at UNA are heavily influenced by those around UCSB, Isla Vista, and downtown Santa Barbara! Enjoy the fic.

Curran looked out the window of his father’s truck as they drove up to the University gate. Written across the digital signboard was “Welcome incoming freshmen!” Ever since he got his acceptance letter, Curran had been waiting with bated breath to come here. Not only was the University of New Alberia renowned for its academia, but it had quite the reputation for its Greek life and parties, which Curran especially was looking forward too. They drove through the gate, following the road and the countless other cars bringing new students to their dorms, their new homes for the next four years.

“Are you excited Curran?” Curran’s mother asked, “UNA looks even more beautiful than it did in the flyers.”

“Sure does, mama,” Curran smiled, “Almost feels surreal.”

“Well you’ve earned it sport,” Curran’s father chuckled, “You worked so hard for that football scholarship.”

“Still honey, we don’t want to see you slacking,” Curran’s mother nagged, “As much as we want you to have fun and enjoy your college years, we would hate to see you flunk out.”

“Don’t worry mama, I’ll try my best,” Curran assured.

“Wonder what his roommate is gonna be like,” Curran’s father thought, “Did you manage to get in contact with him Curran?”

“I added him on social media, but haven’t really gotten around to talking with him yet.

“Do you at least know his name?” his mother wondered.

“I think it was Heinwald?” Curran racked his brain, “Heinwald Von something. He had some fancy last name.”

“How about his major?” she asked.

“Ma, I haven’t even met the guy yet,” Curran sighed, “I promise I’ll let you know more about him when I actually get to know him.”

“We’ll all get to meet him soon enough, Clara,” Curran’s dad interjected, “If he hasn’t moved in already, we’ll probably get to meet the boy and his folks soon enough.”

The car came to a stop in front of a large dormitory, its white stucco walls climbing twenty stories. Upperclassmen wearing brightly colored university shirts helped incoming freshmen load their belongings into trolleys, escorting them to the lobby to grab the keys to their rooms. Curran grinned, spotting a familiar face amongst the crowd.

“Hey! Ranzal!” Curran shouted, leaning out the window.

A tall, muscular man with tan skin and brown hair turned to him smiling from ear to ear.

“Curran! Buddy!” he yelled back, “So you made it in!”

Once the truck was parked, Curran hopped out of the back seat, running to hug his old friend. Ranzal went to the same high school as him and was one year his senior. They had gotten pretty close being on the football team together, and much like Curran himself, Ranzal too got admitted to UNA on a football scholarship.

“You still living in the dorms?” Curran asked, “Thought you would have joined a fraternity.”

“I did. I’m just helping you freshies move in,” Ranzal replied.

“Ranzal,” Curran’s dad greeted, “Long time no see. How was your first year here?”

“Nice to see you again Mr. D,” Ranzal replied, “I had a blast, and I’m sure Curran is gonna feel the same about his first year.”

“It’s nice to know Curran has a friend going right into college,” his mother smirked, “Not that I doubt he will make more. He’s always been a social butterfly.”

“Ma…” Curran sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, since I’m here I might as well help you guys get Curran moved in,” Ranzal said, “I can help unload the truck or take Curran over to the front desk to get his keys.”

“I should be fine unloading myself,” Curran’s dad insisted, “He packed so light I’m almost worried he forgot half of his things.”

“He should be fine,” Ranzal assured, “I’ve seen people bring in U-haul trailers only to bring half of their stuff back home cuz it didn’t fit in the dorm. If he’s got a roommate, he’s got the perfect amount.”

“I should have one, but I dunno if he’s actually moved in yet or not,” Curran said.

“Well, how ‘bout we go see.”

Ranzal led Curran inside the dormitory, stopping at the front desk. There, a girl with long magenta hair sat, handing out keys to new residents and telling them the basics of the dorm.

“Hey Rena!” Ranzal shouted, “My buddy Curran just got here. Can we get the key to his room so he can start moving his stuff in?”

“Oh? Of course,” she replied sweetly, “May I get your last name Curran?”

“Diaz,” Curran replied.

Rena filtered through the boxed, filed in alphabetical order by last name.

“Diaz, Diaz, Diaz,” she said to herself while shuffling through the D category, “Aha!”

She plucked a small, manila envelope from the box, Curran’s room number and first and last name written on the back in sharpie. Curran opened up the envelope, sliding the small, silver key out and onto the palm of his hand.

“Your room is on the seventh floor,” Rena instructed, “Room 715. Your roommate moved in earlier this morning, so he might be there when you start unloading your belongings.”

“Perfect,” Curran replied, “Can’t wait to meet him.”

Shortly after claiming his key, Curran’s parents walked through the lobby of the dormitory, their trolley piled high with Curran’s things.

“Got everything all loaded up,” Curran’s dad grinned, “Where to now?”

“The seventh floor,” Curran replied, “Yo Ranz, is there an elevator around here? I’m normally fine with taking the stairs but I don’t wanna throw out my or my old man’s back lugging a trolley up seven flights of ‘em.”

“Yeah, there’s two of ‘em right around the corner,” Ranzal informed, pointing towards the dorm’s elevators, “But there might be a bit of a line with everyone moving in. Hope you don’t mind.”

“It’s no big deal,” Curran replied.

“Curran, honey,” his mother interjected, “How about your father and I wait in line for the elevator and you can take some of your lighter bags upstairs? It’ll get you a head start on unpacking.”

“Mmk,” Curran responded, taking some of his bags from the trolley and giving his mom a hug, “It’s room 715 on the seventh floor. I’ll leave the door unlocked for you.”

“We’ll meet you up there,” Curran’s dad said.

Curran headed over to the stairway, opening the door and ascending the tower. When he finally moved in, he might have to take the stairs more often. Since he would be joining the university’s football team, he needed to stay in peak physical condition, and it was the little choices, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator when possible, that mattered. Finally he reached the seventh floor, opening the door and heading into the bustling hallway. Students, parents, and upperclassmen alike were hard at work, moving furniture into the cramped, shoebox dorms. The scattering of trolleys and wide open doors turned the otherwise easily traversed hallway into a maze, and Curran was grateful that he had taken his mother’s suggestion. Had he came up the elevator with them, he’d have to wait even longer to start moving in, waiting for room to finally open up in the hallway so he could push his trolley of belongings to his room. Carefully, Curran squeezed past the crowds, looking around for his room number. Fortunately, each one of the rooms had the names of the occupants written on decorated cards taped onto the door, making it even easier for him to find his new abode. He stopped in front of room 715, seeing his name, as well as the name of his roommate taped to the door.

“Heinwald Von Nikolai, huh?” Curran said to himself, “Wonder if he’s an international student or something.”

He fished the key to his room out of his pocket, sliding it into the lock and turning the knob.

“Anyone home?” Curran asked as he pushed the door open.

As Curran opened the door, he noticed a man laying down on one of the beds, completely engrossed in a book. His skin was ghostly pale, save for a few patches of a rich caramel brown across the right side of his face and enrobing his right hand. Round glasses sat across the bridge of his nose, his crimson eyes darting from page to page as he devoured his novel. His long, curly, black hair was streaked with silver highlights, tied back into a loose, low ponytail with a violet ribbon. He wore a large black pea coat that seemed a size or two too large for his slender frame and crisp black slacks that only made his already long legs look longer.

“You must be Heinwald,” Curran said, setting down his bags, “I’m Curran, your roommate.”

“Oh?” Heinwald replied, dog-earring his book, “I’m sorry for not noticing you sooner. I’m a bit hard of hearing in one ear.”

Heinwald brushed his hair over his left ear with his hand, revealing a small hearing aid. Now that Curran got a closer look at him he noticed a blade thin scar over Heinwald’s left eye. Curran extended his hand for Heinwald to shake, a smile stretching across his mouth.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Curran greeted, “Lookin’ forward to getting to know you.”

“Is this all you brought?” Heinwald wondered, staring at Curran’s small bags.

“Nah, my folks are comin’ up with the rest soon.”

Curran heard a knock at the door, watching the knob turn.

“Well speak of the devil,” Curran said.

Curran’s parents walked into the room, parking the trolley in the doorway. Curran’s mother smiled giddily, pulling out a camera.

“Oh so this is your roommate!” Curran’s mom beamed, “Get together boys. I have to commemorate this moment!”

Curran draped his arm around Heinwald’s shoulder, pulling him in close for a picture. Heinwald blushed as light flashed from Curran’s mother’s camera, his sensitive eyes straining against the bright light.

“Come on Clara, you’re gonna suffocate the boys,” Curran’s dad said, “Sorry about that… Heinwald was it? I’m Serge, Curran’s dad. Are your parents still here?”

“My father left after he dropped me off,” Heinwald informed, “My apologies if you wanted to meet him.”

“Guess we’ll meet him some other time,” Serge chuckled, “After we’re done moving Curran in, wanna grab a bite to eat with us?”

“I wouldn’t want to impose…” Heinwald sighed.

“You wouldn’t be imposing at all,” Curran assured, “You’re my roommate. Might as well take the opportunity to get to know each other and become friends.”

“Well if you insist,” Heinwald giggled.

“Curran,” Serge grunted, “Can you help me unload some of this?”

“Sure thing Pops!” Curran replied, “Guessing you claimed the window bed, huh Heinwald?”

“If you would prefer to sleep by the window I’m fine with switching,” Heinwald assured.

“Nah, I was actually kinda hoping for the bed closer to the door anyway,” Curran responded, pulling the last bag out of the trolley, “Pops, I can unload my clothes on my own. Wanna head out and get some food now?”

“Are you sure you won’t just leave them in your suitcase?” Clara nagged, “Heinwald, please make sure he puts his clothes away.”

“C’mon mama, have a bit more faith in me,” Curran sighed.

“I’ll make sure he does,” Heinwald chuckled.

“Et tu Heinwald?” Curran choked

“Well, since most of his stuff is all unloaded,” Serge interjected, trying to dispel the conflict, “How about we go return this trolley and then get something to eat!”

“Sounds good to me pops!” Curran grinned, “Any kind of food you’re in the mood for Heinwald?”

“I’m not too picky,” Heinwald replied.

“How about we walk around Lotier Vista and see what they have,” Curran suggested.

“That sounds good,” Clara said, “Let’s head out before the restaurants get too crowded.”

The four left the dorm, Curran locking the door behind them. They squeezed through the crowded hallways, calling the elevator to take it down. Once they arrived back in the lobby, Serge held the door open for his family and his son’s new roommate, allowing them to walk out to the sidewalk leading to the college town of Lotier Vista. Students on bicycles rode to and from the town to the university while others chatted and walked, on their way to get dinner or go to a party. Fraternities and sororities seemed to almost vibrate as music boomed from their interiors and students partied on their balconies. As they headed further into the town, restaurants, bars, and cafes began to pop up; a Dragonbucks Coffee on the corner, a burger joint, an ice cream parlor, and many more. Suddenly Curran spotted the spot that Ranzal had been gushing to him about to him ever since he first came to UNA; Freejupi’s. It was a fast food chain that started right here in Lotier Vista that had become a local hotspot for students and visitors alike.

“You guys down for burritos?” Curran suggested.

“That sounds good to me,” Serge replied.

They walked into the restaurant, seeing a line queuing up to the counter. Heinwald looked up at the menu, seeing it was a customization style taco and burrito restaurant. From the looks of it, they could pick any protein and veggies they wanted, but still Heinwald didn’t want to get something too expensive. He settled for chicken, the least pricy protein option, stuffing his tacos with lettuce, cheese, and a spicy salsa. As Heinwald was about to pull out his wallet to pay, Curran’s father stopped him.

“No need, Heinwald,” Serge insisted, “I know how tight your budget can be when you’re in college. Let me cover it.”

“Are you certain?” Heinwald worried.

“You don’t gotta worry about it Heinwald,” Curran assured, “If my pop is offering to pay, you should take him up on it.”

“Well, if you insist,” Heinwald sighed.

Now Heinwald was really happy that he had chosen the least expensive option. He didn’t want to put a financial burden on anyone, especially not the parents of his new roommate. As soon as Serge finished paying for everyone’s dinner, Curran snagged a table for them, waving his parents and roommate over to sit down and eat. Once everyone sat down, Curran picked up his burrito with both hands, digging in.

“Curran don’t be rude,” Clara scolded.

“He’s fine Clara,” Serge assured, “Besides, the food looks so good here I think I’ll help myself too.”

“You gonna eat too Heinwald?” Curran asked, his mouth full.

“Oh yes, sorry,” Heinwald replied.

He picked up one of his tacos, taking a bite. Now Heinwald could see why this restaurant was so popular with students. The chicken tasted far better quality than any other fast food restaurant he had been to and the salsa was well seasoned with just enough heat.

“So Heinwald,” Clara wondered, “What’s your major?”

“I’m majoring in biology,” Heinwald replied, “Hopefully I’ll be going to medical school after I graduate.”

“Oh, you want to be a doctor?” she beamed, “You must be very smart.”

“Well, I suppose. I was the valedictorian at my high school, but my GPA was only a 4.3. It would have been higher if I didn’t get a C in PE…”

“Wow you are smart! Maybe you can help out Curran with his studies.”

“He has to be pretty clever himself if he got accepted to UNA.”

“As much as I’d like to agree with you,” Curran sighed, “I got in on a football scholarship. But I’m majoring in criminology, so I don’t gotta worry about getting straight A’s for grad school like you.”

“Curran…” Clara scolded.

“Don’t worry mama, I won’t flunk,” Curran said.

Curran and his parents continued chatting with Heinwald as they finished their dinners. As much as Curran wanted to spend more time with his parents, he kind of wanted to check out the UNA’s party life, see if it was as awesome as Ranzal told him. Suddenly, Curran felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket, sliding along the screen to unlock it. It was a text from Ranzal.

_“Yo Curran!”_ Ranzal’s text read, _“Me and the guys at the frat are holding a party tonight. You wanna come along? There will be plenty of booze and cute girls.”_

Curran vigorously tapped on his phone, _“Hell yeah man, just send me the address. I’m at dinner with my folks and my roommate right now, but I can come after.”_

_“Your roommate can come along if he wants too. The more the merrier!”_

_“K. I’ll check with him.”_

Curran locked his phone, watching as his parents finished up their meals.

“Think your mom and I are gonna head out,” Serge said, “Don’t wanna be out too late on the road.”

Curran gave his parents a tight hug, “Drive safe Pops.”

“We’ll miss you Curran,” Clara smiled, “I’ll text you when we get home.”

“Mama, I promise I’ll call you guys whenever I can,” Curran assured, “Safe travels.”

Curran’s parents stepped out of the hug and left the restaurant, leaving Curran and his roommate to do their own thing. Heinwald still had some food left over, so he headed up to the counter to ask for a to go box. He yelped as he felt Curran’s hand rest on their shoulder.

“Hey Heinwald, can I call you Hein?” Curran interrupted, “Just got a text from my buddy about a party tonight. You wanna come with?”

“I’m not too fond of parties myself,” Heinwald replied, “But you can go if you want.”

“You sure? Ranz said there would be plenty of cute girls there.”

“I’m certain. Tell your parents I said thank you for dinner.”

Heinwald took his food and left the restaurant, heading back on his own to their dorm room. Curran was puzzled. Did he say something to offend? There had to be something Heinwald wasn’t telling him, but he didn’t want to press on it. After all, they had just met each other, and he didn’t want to start their friendship off on the wrong foot. He felt his phone vibrate once more, checking it to see if his parents had forgotten something. Fortunately, it was Ranzal, sending him the address for the party tonight. He put his phone away, heading out into Lotier Vista to Ranzal’s fraternity. Curran couldn’t wait for the party, the first night of fun in the best years of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

Curran knocked on the door to the fraternity, the music already booming from the inside. The door creaked open, a tan, well-built boy with long, seafoam green hair and matching green eyes answering it.

“Hey is this the Psi Nu Delta frat house?” Curran asked, “My pal Ranzal…”

“Oh you’re Ranzal’s friend?” the seafoam haired boy interrupted excitedly, “The name’s Luca! I was Ranz’s roommate last year.”

“Hey Luca, I’m Curran! Looks like your party’s already gettin’ pretty wild.”

“How ‘bout you come on in and join the fun?”

“Don’t have to ask me twice!”

Curran stepped inside the frat house, the stench of sweat and alcohol practically infused into the air. The base coming from the amps made the floor feel like it was vibrating, and students of all ages flooded the dance floor, packed like sardines in a can as they danced and grinded against each other. A tall, ponytailed brunette mixed cocktails and poured drinks behind the kitchen island bar, and from the looks of it, he was good as it.

“Ay Sylas!” Luca shouted, “Get my boy Curran a drink!”

“Any requests?” Sylas asked, pouring a margarita for another attendee.

“Can I get a rum and coke?” Curran asked, “Or a dark beer. I’m fine with either, so just go for whatever is easier for you.”

“I can make a rum and coke in my sleep,” Sylas bragged, “I’ll mix one up right now.”

Sylas poured out a shot of rum, topping it off with the rich, bubbly soda before sliding it across the island. Curran took a sip of the drink, alcohol blush already spreading across his cheeks. It was strong, but still well mixed and tasted great.

“Sylas is our frat’s resident mixologist,” Luca beamed, “We’re lucky to have him, but I’m even luckier to have him as my best friend!”

“Luca stop gushing and let me get back to making cocktails,” Sylas sighed.

“Hehe, sorry for disturbing your mixing Zen, Sy,” Luca chuckled.

“Curran! Ya made it!” Ranzal’s voice shouted over the cacophony of the party.

Curran felt Ranzal’s hand on his shoulder. His volunteer shirt from before had been swapped out for a button up, only half way buttoned for what Curran could only assume was to impress the ladies. He was clearly a few drinks in, already pretty buzzed by the look on his face and the lingering smell of alcohol on his breath.

“How you likin’ the party?” Ranzal asked.

“Just got here, but Sylas made me a pretty sweet drink,” Curran replied.

“Where’s your roommate? Not much of a party guy?”

“Yeah, seems like he’s a bit too shy for this kinda stuff. Don’t worry, I’ll loosen him up and drag him to the next party.”

“In the mean time, how ‘bout I introduce you to some girls? Remember Rena who checked you in earlier? Her younger sister just started here too, and she’s got some nice assets if you know what I mean.”

Ranzal gestured to his chest, wiggling his brows suggestively. Curran snorted, rum and coke almost coming out of his nose.

“Well ya can’t just tell me about her and not introduce me,” Curran laughed.

“Let’s see if I can find her,” Ranzal responded, “Come with me buddy.”

Ranzal led Curran through the frat house, squeezing through the sweat soaked attendees on the dance floor. Based on the sheer number of guests and their combined body heat, it felt more like a steam room than a frat house, but Curran didn’t exactly mind. He was eager and excited for this party life. Maybe next year he’d join this house himself if he had awesome parties packed to the gills with people like this to look forward to. Suddenly, Ranzal stopped him in his tracks, pointing to the girl he had been hyping up. Her long, blonde hair was hallway tied up into a side ponytail, and her bright blue eyes glimmered even in the dim lighting of the frat house. Ranzal wasn’t exaggerating either when he talked about her “assets” either. Curran remembered Rena had quite a large chest, but her sister, despite being younger, looked like she was even more buxom. The fact that she was wearing a skintight tube top made it even more apparent.

“Hey Ramona!” Ranzal yelled, getting her attention.

Ramona turned her head, smiling as she made eye contact with Curran.

“Who’s your friend?” she giggled flirtatiously.

“This is my friend Curran,” Ranzal introduced, “He’s a freshman too. Curran, this is Ramona Smyth.”

“Nice to meet you Ramona,” Curran grinned.

“The pleasure’s all mine,” she cooed.

“Well, I’ll just leave you two some room,” Ranzal chuckled, “If you need more privacy, you can always use my room.”

“Ranzal, my man,” Curran smiled cheekily.

He was definitely going to get lucky tonight.

***

Heinwald turned the page of his book, finally coming to the last chapter. Time always flew by when he was reading, but as he looked at the clock, he began to worry. Curran was out really late. If Curran was going to a friend’s party, at least he’d have someone to look after him, but still, Heinwald couldn’t help but worry. Even if he did just meet Curran, Heinwald was too empathetic for his own good. He couldn’t take it anymore. Even though he wasn’t much of a night-life person, Heinwald needed to find Curran. He grabbed his pea coat and tied his hair back, walking over to the door. Just as he was about to head out, the knob turned, and Curran stumbled in, practically falling into his arms. He wasn’t completely intoxicated, but still drunk enough that his balance was impaired and his speech slurred.

“Did you have fun?” Heinwald sighed, taking comfort that his roommate came back safe.

“You missed an awesome party Hein,” Curran giggled.

“Well, I suppose I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“You really should come next time. You might get some action too.”

“Action? Curran did you sleep with someone?”

“Don’t worry it was consensual, but holy fuck. You shoulda seen her Hein. Her tits were huge.”

“How nice. You found a girlfriend on your first night of college.”

“Girlfriend? I dunno about that.”

A vein popped in Heinwald’s forehead, “So you just saw the poor girl as a one night stand?”

“Pretty sure she felt the same about me,” Curran assured, “Relax Hein. We were just havin’ some harmless fun and fooling around.”

“Well, if you insist. But for your sake, I hope you don’t have an eight AM class tomorrow. You’ll be a zombie in the morning.”

Curran grimaced. Now that he thought about it, he recalled seeing his first class on his schedule tomorrow was English 101 at eight AM.

“Shit…” he grumbled.

“Good luck Curran,” Heinwald chuckled, “If it’s any consolation I have a nine AM and I kind of want to grab some breakfast beforehand. Want me to wake you up when I’m about to leave?”

“Heinwald you’re the best.”

Curran wrapped his arms tightly around Heinwald, his drunkenness making him come a bit too close to Heinwald for comfort.

“Easy Curran,” Heinwald assured, “I’m just doing what any good roommate would do.”

“Honestly thought you woulda given me a call down for going out drinking so late,” Curran confessed.

“There’s more to me than meets the eye Curran. I may not be a fan of large parties, but I’m not completely incapable of having fun. My definition of the word is just slightly different than yours.”

“Well maybe one of these days you can take me to party you’d enjoy.”

“Perhaps, but I’m a bit too tired to discuss future plans at the moment. I think I’m going to go to sleep. You don’t need my help with anything, right Curran?”

“Nah I should be good. Goodnight Hein.”

“Sleep well.”

Curran watched as Heinwald crawled under the covers of his bed, setting an alarm on his phone before putting his glasses on his nightstand. He figured it’d be smart to follow Heinwald’s lead. After all, he was pretty pooped from the party. He yanked off his tee shirt and jeans, throwing them into a pile on the floor. He unzipped his suitcase, pulling out the first pair of pajamas he could find and slipping them on. Curran hadn’t made his bed yet, but he wouldn’t mind sleeping with just a blanket and pillow on an uncovered mattress for one night. Besides, he didn’t have the energy or motor skills to make his bed. He looked over to Heinwald one last time, his peaceful, sleeping form was comforting in a way.

“Sweet dreams,” Curran said, turning out the lights.

***

Curran groaned as he felt Heinwald shaking him awake. His head throbbed from his hangover, but missing his first day of class would mean dropping it, and he couldn’t afford that. He slowly stirred awake, seeing Heinwald already dressed and ready.

“What time is it?” Curran grumbled.

“7:15,” Heinwald replied, “Did I allow you enough time to get ready?”

“Yeah I should be fine. Thanks for helping me get up.”

Curran threw off the covers, scratching his head and yawning as he started to wake up. He rummaged through his suitcase once more, pulling out some clothes to wear for his first day. Curran didn’t look as cleaned up as Heinwald did; his hair was a bit greasy and his choice of clothing not as refined, but Ranzal always told him that after a while, he started going to eight AM classes still in his PJs, so at least the other students wouldn’t mind his appearance.

“Let me know how the dining commons’ food is,” Curran said, grabbing his book

bag and heading out the door.

“Will do,” Heinwald replied, only to be interrupted by the door closing behind Curran.

Curran rushed out into the communal lounge of the seventh floor, seeing students already lined up to pack into the elevator.

“Stairs it is,” Curran said to himself.

He headed over to the staircase, descending them until he reached the ground floor. Curran opened up the doors, running out of the dormitory and onto campus. Most students rode their bicycles to class, but Curran preferred running. Besides, his dorm was situated pretty close to campus and his classes weren’t too far away. A bike would just be extra, unnecessary weight to lug up. He followed the cement paths, looking at his schedule on his phone to confirm the location. His first class was in one of the largest lecture halls on campus, Astraea Hall, named after one of the former deans of the university. He finally made it to the round hall. It was large enough to be a theatre, and posters advertising future guest lectures were displayed along its outer walls. Curran walked up the stairs to the hall’s entrance, following the other students through the doors. The hall was already crowding, seats filling with enrolled students and course crashers. Curran squeezed through the audience, fortunate enough to find an empty seat near the front. The professor walked onstage, her long black hair tied up in a ponytail.

“Good morning everyone,” she said, her voice deep, but kind, “I assume you are all here for English 101.”

A few students picked up their bags and ran out of the hall, clearly stressed that they went to the wrong location and were now late for their first class.

“Well, now that we know everyone is here for the right class,” she chuckled, “It is a pleasure to meet you all. I am Dr. Cassandra Persopolous, chairwoman of the English and Classics department, and your professor.”

A large screen descended behind her, and she approached her computer atop her podium, pulling up a powerpoint. The screen illuminated with a slide reading “Welcome to English 101.”

“In this class we will cover several literary classics of the English language, analyzing their cultural significance and societal commentary,” she announced, changing the slide, “My TAs are passing out the syllabus as I speak. Please take one and read along. It is of the utmost importance that you understand the class’ schedule.”

A stack of papers passed down the aisle, Curran taking one from the top of the stack before passing it down. He looked at the syllabus, carefully noting the policies of the class.

“This quarter, we will cover five works, spending two weeks per novel, and at the end of each, I will expect a 1500 word essay on the work we just covered,” Cassandra explained, “Each essay will be worth 15%, and at the end of the quarter, we will have a final exam worth 25% of your final grade. Since the only homework to be assigned in this course is reading the assigned texts and turning in your papers, I have a zero tolerance policy for late work. Each day after the due date, ten percent will be deducted from your final score. That being said, I am not completely merciless. I will drop your lowest essay score and replace it with a duplicate score of your highest one.”

Curran heaved a sigh of relief. If she dropped his lowest score, he could theoretically not turn one in and it wouldn’t even negatively affect his grade. He looked down at the syllabus, seeing what books he’d need to buy at the library after class. He had never heard of any of the titles listed before. Here’s hoping that there were summaries of them on Sparknotes. Curran always hated reading. As Cassandra switched to the next slide, going into more details about the course, Curran tuned out. From the looks of it, today the professor would just be explaining the syllabus. The rest of the lecture seemed to pass by relatively quickly, and as soon as Cassandra gave the class the ok to leave, he filed out of the lecture hall, making his way back to the university center.

Curran yawned as he walked across campus. He needed some coffee to wake him up before his next class at ten. Even though there was a Dragonbucks out in Lotier Vista, the one on campus was far more convenient for a break between classes. The university center was a two-story building overlooking the lagoon on the university outskirts. Not only was there a food court and commons area inside, but it was also attached to the university bookstore. Curran would have to come back here later to pick up his class materials, and from what Ranzal had told him, even renting the books would put quite a dent in his wallet. He wasn’t looking forward to that.

He opened the door to the UCen, walking past the relaxing and conversing students and over to Dragonbucks. There was a small line, but Curran didn’t mind. He had an hour until his next class. Now that he thought about it, Heinwald mentioned that his first class was at 9 AM. Curran himself had only two lectures and one section today, but he had no clue how many units Heinwald was taking. Curran signed up for the bare minimum, twelve units for the first quarter. He knew he’d have to take more in his later quarters if he wanted to graduate in four years, but Curran figured he might as well take it easy for his first quarter. It would allow him ample time to get accustomed to the new leaning style of college courses. Plus, once football practice started, he’d need to be able to set aside plenty of time for practice. The season was about to start, so he’d be juggling practice on top of his classes soon enough. He hoped that he’s at least have some spare time for fun.

“Welcome to Dragonbucks, what can I get started for you?” the barista behind the cash register asked.

“I’ll take a large black coffee and,” Curran thought, looking at the display case of baked goods and sandwiches, “One of those smoked bacon and cheddar sandwiches.”

“Coming right up. Can I get a name for the order?”

“Curran.”

“That’ll be $5.25.”

Curran pulled out his wallet, sliding his debit card into the chip reader. The device reader flashed, and Curran removed his card once the payment had been confirmed. He looked out the window of the coffee shop, admiring the view as he waited for his order.

“Curran!” another barista called out, “I’ve got a large black coffee and breakfast sandwich for Curran.”

Curran took his order from the pickup area, walking out into the lounge to make himself comfortable in one of the chairs. He sat down, taking a big sip of his coffee. It was bitter, but strong, just how Curran liked it. As he started to eat his sandwich, he looked down at his phone, checking the time before unlocking it to see where his next class would be. From the looks of it, it was Calculus 1, and would be held in another lecture hall on the other side of campus.

“Great…” Curran sighed.

Math. The only thing he hated more than reading. He couldn’t wait until his GEs were out of the way. Then he could finally start taking classes related to criminology. Curran was embarrassed to admit it around friends, but he loved watching true crime documentaries and detective shows. Ever since he was a kid he dreamed of being a private investigator for the International Legal Investigation Association, or the I.L.I.A. for short. Still, if Curran got drafted by the National Football League, he’d have a hard time saying no. Even with the risk of injury, the pay would set him for life. Maybe he could even buy a nice new home for his parents. Still, that was too far into the future for him to worry about. Right now, he had to get to his next class.

***

Curran returned to his dorm, throwing his bags and new textbooks down on the floor as he plopped onto his bed. Even with only three classes, he still had quite the long day. He looked over to the empty bed by the window. Even though it was about 5PM, Heinwald still hadn’t come back to the dorm. He grabbed his nearly dead phone, plugging it into the charger. Maybe he could shoot Heinwald a message and see how late he’d be out. Curran was starting to get pretty hungry and he’d love to grab dinner with his new roommate, just to get to know him better.

_“Hey Hein_ ” Curran typed, _“You still in class?”_

No response. He probably was still at a lecture. Suddenly, the doorknob turned and Heinwald walked inside. His back hunched as he carried in his full backpack, a stack of books in his hand as well.

“Need some help there?” Curran chuckled.

“Please,” Heinwald strained.

Curran unzipped Heinwald’s backpack, his jaw dropping at the amount of textbooks inside. He pulled a few out, watching Heinwald’s posture straighten back up.

“Thank you Curran,” Heinwald sighed.

“Damn how many units are you taking?” Curran gaped.

“Eighteen.”

Curran nearly dropped the books.

“Eighteen?” Curran yelled.

“Yeah I know, it’s a bit of a light load,” Heinwald confessed, “But I wanted to start out with eighteen before taking twenty-four next quarter.”

Curran suddenly felt like even more of a slacker for only taking twelve units.

“But I did grab a few extra novels that I thought would be interesting reads,” Heinwald added, “Nothing like a bit of light reading to de-stress.”

“Can’t believe your break from reading is more reading,” Curran grumbled, setting Heinwald’s book down on his desk.

“It is pretty fun if you find an author you like.”

“Well whatever floats your goat. How was your first day?”

“Fun, but tiring. My professors all seem nice though. How about you?”

“Same for me. I’m exhausted, but hey, my English teacher is pretty hot. Think her name was Dr. Persopolous or something.”

“… You do realize she’s over fifty years old, right Curran?”

“WHAT? But she looks so young! How did you know that?”

“I had her for Classics 280 at 3PM and talked to her a bit after class.”

“Damn, well there goes that fantasy… Have you eaten dinner yet? I’m starving.”

“No. I’m pretty hungry myself.”

“Wanna check out the dining commons?”

“I suppose.”

They left the dorm room, heading out to the common area before calling the elevator. Curran normally didn’t mind taking the stairs, but Heinwald looked exhausted, and he worried it would be rude to leave him behind. The elevator dinged as soon as it arrived, Curran and Heinwald stepping inside with several other students. The doors closed behind them, the elevator stopping at a few more floors before finally reaching the ground floor. Everyone squeezed out, parting ways; some heading out of the dorms and into Lotier Vista, some going to the dining commons. Heinwald had already stopped there earlier this morning for breakfast, so he led the way. The menu for tonight was displayed right outside the door, but Curran figured he’d just grab whatever looked good once they got inside. Heinwald pulled out his student ID, scanning in with the door attendant. Curran followed behind, scanning in as well. The dining commons were set up in an “all you can eat” buffet style, and Curran was ready to eat until he was stuffed.

“Curran,” Heinwald interjected, “Want me to set my coat down at a table to claim it for us?”

“Sure,” Curran responded, “I’m gonna go grab myself some grub.”

Heinwald smiled gently as Curran perused the dining commons’ options. Curran had a few flaws; he was a bit of a skirt chaser and party guy, but Heinwald was excited to get to know him future. College was a clean slate, and Heinwald couldn’t wait to see what opportunities it would bring for him.


	3. Chapter 3

Curran dashed across the field, his eyes glued to the football hurdling through the air. It began its downward arc, plummeting to the ground below. Curran broke out into a sprint, jumping up to catch the falling ball in his arms. With his prize in hand, he deftly dodged the opposing teams attempts to tackle him, sprinting all the way to the opposite side of the field for a touchdown. The team’s coach stood up from his seat on the bleachers, calling the team’s “shirts vs skins” practice game after Curran’s winning touchdown. He was a tall, muscular man with dark skin, a well maintained beard, and a bald head. An x shaped scar marked his face and dark shades obscured his eyes, yet even in spite of his intimidating appearance, he seemed proud of his new recruit.

“Nice one Curran!” the couch shouted, slapping him on the back sportsmanly.

“Thanks Coach Victor,” Curran replied.

“Shirts win this round,” Coach Victor announced, “So you guys are free to go. Skins, two laps around the field!”

The shirtless half of the team groaned, starting to jog around the field as their punishment for losing. Coach Victor was certainly strict, but his method of coaching helped to make the UNA’s football team a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, Curran and his team of “shirts” headed back into the locker rooms, changing out of their practice uniforms and into street clothes.

“I dunno about you Curran,” Ranzal said, closing his locker, “But I’m starving. Wanna go grab some food in Lotier Vista?”

“I would, but I really should be saving my cash right now,” Curran sighed, “Might just go back to my dorm and grab something at the dining commons.”

“What if we do somethin’ cheap? I could call up Luca and we can grab a pizza at Rovetelle’s. If we split the cost, it won’t be too expensive.”

Curran’s stomach growled. Pizza did sound good. Besides, it was a Friday night, and no doubt a ton of fraternities and sororities would be holding parties in honor of the first week of classes coming to a close. Maybe after dinner, he could go party hopping again. With Ranzal being a member of ΨΠΔ, Curran essentially had a free ticket into any party he wanted to go to.

“Twist my leg, will ya?” Curran chuckled, “Ok, I’m in.”

“Any of you guys wanna join for pizza?” Ranzal asked their teammates.

“Sure,” one of them responded.

“I’m game,” another added.

“Then I’ll hit Luca up and tell him to meet us there,” Ranzal said, “Curran, did you want to invite your roommate?”

“I can try, but he’s probably going to be pretty busy studying,” Curran informed, “He’s taking a fuckton of units this quarter.”

“Well, maybe one day you’ll finally rub off on him and convince him that there’s more to college than studying your ass off.”

“Here’s hoping.”

Once Ranzal, Curran, and everyone else who was planning on joining them for dinner had finished changing and showering, they left the locker room, heading out into Lotier Vista. As the sun set, the partiers seemed to come out in droves, music filling the air and students buzzed from pre-gaming flooding the streets. Ranzal led Curran and the group through LV, stopping at the street corner where the pizza joint Rovetelle’s stood. It was an LV staple, and even though their pizzas were a bit on the greasy side, they were cheap, big, and filling, perfect for college students who needed to watch their budgets. Just as they were about to enter the restaurant, Curran stopped, seeing a familiar head of black and silver hair out of the corner of his eye. He turned around to get a closer look, only for a smile to spread across his face. It was Heinwald, walking down the sidewalks of LV with a bubble tea in hand and a girl by his side, her long, curly ginger hair fluttering in the wind behind her.

“Hold on Ranz, I’ll meet you inside,” Curran said.

“You ok Curran?” he wondered.

“I’m fine. Just spotted someone I know and wanted to go and talk to him for a bit.”

“Mmk. Any kinda pizza you want? We’re probably gonna order two larges for the group.”

“Meat lovers please.”

“Gotcha. See ya inside.”

As Ranzal and the others walked into the restaurant, Curran rushed down the street to catch up with Heinwald.

“Hein!” he beamed, grabbing Heinwald’s shoulder, “Wasn’t expecting to see you out here!”

“Oh is this your roommate?” the red haired girl wondered.

“Mhm,” Heinwald replied, taking a sip of his bubble tea, “Curran, this is my friend Sinoa. We met in chemistry and she just showed me this wonderful boba shop in LV.”

“Nice to meet you,” she smiled.

“We were actually just about to go over to one of her friend’s apartments for games,” Heinwald added.

“Would you care to join us?” Sinoa offered, “The more the merrier!”

“Maybe,” Curran replied, “I was just about to get dinner with my friend Ranzal and some guys from the football team. Is it ok if I join you afterwards?”

“I don’t see why not,” Sinoa smiled, “Heinwald, can you text him the address?”

“Sure,” Heinwald replied, “We’ll see you in a bit Curran.”

Curran waved goodbye as the two continued walking, heading over to the apartment. He didn’t think Heinwald had it in him. The first week into college and he already had a cute girlfriend. She was a bit on the nerdy side, but then again, so was Heinwald, and they made quite the cute couple if Curran said so himself. He couldn’t help but feel proud for his roommate, and was half tempted to leave them be so Heinwald could play “games” with her in private, but he could never resist a party. Curran turned on his heel, heading into the restaurant. Once he got some pizza in him, he’d join his roommate at the party.

***

Heinwald looked down at the board, watching his teammate’s strategy unfold. They had managed to seal off the traitor in the basement, and all he needed to do was roll a high enough number for them to win the game. He gripped the dice in his hand, shaking it a few times before finally letting them loose on the table. The carved cubes clacked against the wood of the table as they rolled, finally landing in a solid position. Heinwald hastily counted. He needed a knowledge roll of six for the survivors to win.

“Three, four, five…” he counted, “Six, Seven!”

“We won!” Sinoa beamed.

“Aww, I was so close…” Amane, the guest who was assigned the role of the traitor complained.

“Better luck next time,” Xainfried, the other survivor and host of the game night chuckled.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door to the apartment. Fydon and Felyx, Xainfried’s two shiba inus, started barking, scratching at the door to see who was there.

“I wonder who’s there,” Xainfried said, “Fydon, Felyx! Calm down boys!”

“That might be my roommate actually,” Heinwald replied, “I’ll go get the door.”

Heinwald stood up from his chair, running past the dogs and cracking open the door. As expected, it was Curran.

“You made it!” Heinwald smiled, “You don’t mind dogs, do you? Sinoa’s friend has two of them.”

“Are you kidding? I love dogs!” Curran beamed.

“Good, then come on in.”

Curran walked through the doors, immediately greeted with a pair of wagging tails and happy barks. He kneeled down to pet the dogs, Fydon rolling on his back to let Curran rub his tummy while Felyx lathered Curran’s face in kisses.

“Aww, hey there little buddies!” Curran cooed, “What are your names?”

“Fydon and Felyx,” Xainfried said, “You must be Curran. My name’s Xainfried and this is my girlfriend Amane.”

“Nice to meet you,” Amane interjected.

“It’s nice to meet you guys too,” Curran replied, “So it’s just the five of us?”

“I hope you don’t mind Curran,” Heinwald sighed.

Curran was kind of surprised and slightly disappointed that it was actually just a small gathering of friends instead of an all out party, but he didn’t want to be rude and just leave. He might as well stick around for a bit. Who knew? Maybe he’d enjoy playing board games.

“Can I get you anything to drink?” Xainfried offered, walking over to the fridge, “We have beer, hard lemonade, and stuff for mixed drinks too.”

“I’ll take a beer I guess,” Curran replied.

Xainfried pulled out a can of beer, handing it over to Curran for him to drink. Amane pulled up another chair at the table, letting Curran sit down.

“We just got done playing a round of Betrayal at the House on the Hill,” Sinoa explained, “Care to join us for the next round?”

“I’ve never played it before,” Curran confessed, “How do you play it?”

“It’s one of those games where you learn as you go,” Heinwald said, tidying up the table so they can begin their next round, “The cards explain what you need to do, so just abide by them and you should be fine.”

“Does anyone else want another drink before we start?” Xainfried shouted from the kitchen.

“I’ll take another hard strawberry lemonade,” Heinwald said.

“The same for me!” Sinoa added.

“Xainy, can you get me a shot of vodka?” Amane requested.

“Sure thing. I’ll bring those right out,” Xainfried replied.

Curran was a bit shocked by Amane choosing straight vodka to drink. She was so short and flat-chested, she looked like she could be a freshman in high school instead of college. But then again, she could just look younger than her actual age. Xainfried returned to the table with the drinks, passing them out as Heinwald shuffled the different card decks. It looked like there were four different kinds of cards; yellow ones with a swirl reading “event,” orange ones with a cow skull reading “item,” green ones with a crow reading “omen,” and square, cardstock ones with locations within the house on the hill drawn onto them. Heinwald pulled out six cardstock pentagons, each with two character options written and drawn on both sides.

“Who would you like to play as Curran?” Heinwald asked.

“Um,” Curran thought, picking up the red pentagon and looking it over, “I guess I’ll take this ‘Flash’ guy.”

“Good choice. He’s very beginner friendly,” Heinwald said.

The rest of the group chose their characters, Xainfried going for Brandon Jaspers, Amane selecting Heather Granville, Sinoa with Madame Zostra, and Heinwald with Father Rhinehardt. Curran looked over at Heinwald’s character card, noticing he had chosen the character with the weakest physical stats, but highest mental stats; his might and speed were extremely low, but his sanity and knowledge were through the roof. Since Curran had never played the game before, he wasn’t certain if mental traits were a boon over physical ones, but he supposed he’d figure it out as they played. Xainfried grabbed the respective pieces for each of the chosen characters, placing them on the foyer tile for the game to begin.

“Shall I go first?” Heinwald suggested, “I know we usually go counter-clockwise and if I started, Curran would be going last. That would give him plenty of time to see how the game works.”

“Sounds like a good idea to me,” Sinoa responded, “Make your move.”

Heinwald picked up the character piece in the long white labcoat, moving him to the room directly to his left. He grabbed a room tile reading “ground floor,” flipping it over to reveal a library. Text saying instructing the player to “gain one knowledge” was written in the corner, along with a yellow spiral.

“Ah yes, my favorite room,” Heinwald smiled, “And looks like an event too.”

Heinwald picked up a card from the event deck, reading it aloud.

“ _Rotten_ ,” he read, “ _The smell in this room, it’s horrible. Smells like death, like blood. A slaughterhouse smell. You must attempt a Sanity roll._ Oh Sanity, thank god.”

Heinwald picked up six dice, corresponding to his character’s sanity score of six, rolling them to see how he would proceed. The dice clacked against the table, their sum adding up to nine. Heinwald grinned, reading the result of his score.

“ _5+,”_ he read, “ _Troubling odors, nothing more. Gain one Sanity._ And I end my turn here, so I gain one knowledge. _”_

Heinwald inched the marker on his card up a notch, increasing his Sanity score from six to seven and his knowledge from four to five.”

“So what I’m getting is,” Curran said, trying to figure out the game, “You move according to your speed, and then depending on the room you land in and the marking inside of it, you perform a different action?”

“That’s the gist of it,” Heinwald said, “Of course, if you find a room with an Omen marker, you have to select an Omen card and roll a certain amount of dice to see if a traitor will be revealed and a haunt will start, but we’ll get to that when one appears I suppose. Your turn Sinoa.”

“Got it!” she replied.

She began moving her character, this time heading for a room on the opposite side. She flipped over a ground floor title, only for her smile to turn into a frown.

“The coal shoot?” she complained, “I was hoping to avoid the basement this time around!”

“Oh yeah, you got stuck there last game…” Amane giggled.

“One of you guys better go looking for the mystic elevator!” she grumbled, sliding her character down the coal shoot and into the basement, “I don’t wanna die down there two games in a row…”

“I think that just depends on luck and who the traitor is,” Heinwald chuckled.

As there was no marking for an item, omen, or event in the coal shoot, Sinoa was allowed to keep moving upon reaching the basement landing, heading north of the tile. She pulled out a basement card, her expression turning pleased once more.

“Sweet! The vault!” she beamed, setting down a room with not only the familiar event swirl, but also two item icons. Apparently if she chose to, she could spend her next turn trying to open the vault with the knowledge roll, obtaining the two items.

“Don’t get excited yet Sinoa,” Xainfried said, “You still have an event you have to do.”

“As long as it’s not Silence or Debris I should be fi-“ Sinoa stopped mid sentence, hanging her head in disappointment, “I’m cursed, aren’t I? _Debris. Plaster falls from the walls and ceiling. You must attempt a Speed roll…”_

Sinoa reluctantly picked up three dice, rolling them and hoping for the best. Unfortunately, her bad luck streak continued, rolling all zeros on her dice.

_“Zero…”_ she read dejectedly, _“You’re buried in debris. Take two dice of physical damage…_ Well here’s hoping my low rolls save me here.”

Sinoa rolled two dice, getting a one on one of them and a zero on the other.

“That’s not as bad as it could be I guess,” she sighed, moving her Speed marker down by one. One of you guys better come and save me!”

“Hmm, saving Sinoa or getting the two items from the vault…” Amane teased, “I’m sorry Sinoa, just wait two turns and then I’ll try to help you out.”

“I hate you Amane!” she whined.

Xainfried and Amane took their turns as well, Xainfried going to the upper landing to explore upstairs while Amane took the coal shoot down, sniping the items from the vault, much to Sinoa’s chagrin. Finally it came to Curran’s turn. After watching how it was done, he felt comfortable enough with the game, deciding to explore the ground floor with Heinwald. He entered the room to the north of the coal shoot, discovering the dining room. In the corner of the room was a yellow crow symbol, the marking of an omen.

“Ooh our first omen!” Sinoa beamed, “Just read the card like you would an event or an item. For the haunt roll after, roll a die equal to the amount of omen cards in play, and if the number is greater than six, the haunt begins!”

“Ok I guess,” Curran replied, picking up an omen card and reading aloud, _”Holy Symbol. A symbol of calm in an unsettling world. Gain 2 Sanity now. Lose 2 Sanity if you lose the holy symbol. Make a haunt roll now.”_

Curran picked up one of the dice, rolling it for the haunt. He knew that there was no way he’d get a six with just one die that only had 0-2 as options, but guessed it was more of a formality than anything else. As expected, the result of the roll was a one, and the haunt was evaded. As they continued playing, Curran found himself getting strangely absorbed. He enjoyed exploring the haunted house, coming across powerful items, and testing his luck by rolling to see how he would fare in events. It certainly was no frat party, but Curran could see the appeal of small game nights like this. Soon, what started out as a nearly empty table had stretched into a map that almost fell off the edges. Sinoa had escaped, but remained in the basement and Amane was exploring the ground floor with Curran, while Xainfried stayed upstairs to look around. They had already discovered four additional omens, and each haunt roll became spookier with the looming threat of the haunt being triggered. Soon, it was Heinwald’s turn again. He moved his character to another empty tile in the basement, flipping a room card over to reveal The Pentagram Chamber.

“Damn, this room is a pain in the ass to leave,” Heinwald grimaced, noting the condition in which one had to have a Knowledge roll of 4+ to leave, lest they lose one Sanity, “But let’s see what omen we get this time.”

He picked up an omen card from the deck, reading it aloud, _“Medallion. A Medallion inscribed with a pentagram. You are immune to the effects of the Pentagram Chamber, Crypt, and Graveyard._ Well that’s lucky. _Male a haunt roll now.”_

Heinwald picked up six dice, shaking them in his hand before tossing them onto the table. He counted carefully, a devilish smirk stretching across his face.

“Seven,” he said, “The haunt begins!”

Xainfried pulled out two rulebooks, one labeled as “Traitor’s Tome” and the other as “Secrets of Survival.” He opened up the traitors tome to the first page, scanning the diagram to find out what haunt they’d be playing and the identity of the traitor.

“Lets see…” he said, “Medallion and Pentagram chamber… That’s haunt 14 ‘The Stars are Right.’ And the traitor is… the haunt revealer. So Heinwald.”

“Oh I have been looking forward to this,” he chuckled, “Hand me the traitor guide so I may better plot your demise.”

Xainfried handed off the “Traitor’s Tome” to Heinwald, waiting for him to walk into another room before opening up the survival guide.

“The Stars are Right,” Xainfried read aloud to the group, _“The bookshelves of this old mansion are packed with sinister tomes. Horrible titles speak of evil, death, madness, and the names of Things That Should Not Be. Why did your companion bring you to this macabre collection? What forbidden knowledge would he hope to gain? Your questions are answered when rhythmic chanting echoes through the corridors. The cult that inhabits this house is shouting to summon an ancient creature – and the loudest voice is that of your traitorous companion. The traitor is here to complete the ritual by bringing the cultists everything they need – including human sacrifices.”_

“So basically, now the game is us versus Heinwald,” Sinoa explained, “He’s got his own set of rules that he needs to follow and we have our own.”

“From the looks of it, we win this haunt by desecrating the pentagram chamber and stopping the ritual,” Xainfried added, “And Heinwald wins if he obtains enough sacrifices to summon the ancient god.”

“Yeesh,” Curran sighed, “So how do we stop him?”

“It says here that cans of paint are stored within various rooms around the house; the kitchen, the larder, the junk room, the storeroom, the research lab, and the attic,” Xainfried explained, “There are four cans, one for each of us, and all we need to do is grab them and splash them onto the pentagram within the chamber to desecrate it.”

“Sounds easy enough,” Curran replied.

“If only it were that simple,” Amane sighed, “Heinwald has monsters he can control too who will try to take us out. Plus we can only carry one can at a time. We gotta decide carefully on where to put the paint cans so we can grab them and go.”

“I think one should go into the larder and another in the kitchen for sure,” Sinoa suggested, “Those are the ones Curran and I are the closest too, so we can easily grab them.”

“Yeah but isn’t Heinwald also pretty close to you down in the basement?” Amane asked, “You’re at pretty low health from your bad rolls. I think we should keep them on the upper and ground floors so Xain, Curran, and I can do it. You just try to get out of the basement so you don’t become a sacrifice.”

“If I die, I want to go out in a blaze of glory!” Sinoa said with determination, “If he kills me, I’ll drink for it as punishment.”

“Well, it’s your funeral,” Amane conceded, placing a paint token in the larder, two tiles away from Sinoa’s character.

For the other locations, they decided on the attic, kitchen, and junk room, the easiest to access out of the rooms in play. At last, they had their strategy. Amane, Xainfried, and Curran would grab a bucket each to throw into the pentagram chamber. If Sinoa was unsuccessful and killed before she could toss the one from the larder, Curran would use his character’s high speed to grab Sinoa’s bucket, finishing off the pentagram and stopping the ritual.

“Ok, I think you can go grab Heinwald now,” Xainfried said to Curran.

“I’ll be right back,” Curran replied, taking a drink from his beer before going to grab Heinwald.

He walked into the other room, watching Heinwald close his “Traitor’s Tome” and smile smugly.

“We’re ready for you, Hein,” Curran said.

“I hope you’re all prepared to be sacrificed to the Ancient One,” Heinwald chuckled.

“Don’t think that’s gonna happen buddy. Xainfried and Amane thought of a pretty solid strategy. Sinoa’s a bit scared, but I’m sure you’ll go easy on your girlfriend.”

Heinwald froze.

“Girlfriend?” he asked.

“You don’t need to hide it from me Hein,” Curran assured, “She’s pretty cute. You did good.”

“Curran, Sinoa isn’t my girlfriend.”

“What? Oh, so you just haven’t asked her out yet. Or maybe she’s a sex friend?”

“Curran she’s a _friend_ friend. Am I not allowed not have a platonic relationship with her just because she’s a girl?”

“Well, I mean, you do you. But if I were you, I’d ask her out. Even nerdy girls like her can be pretty hot.”

Heinwald clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

“You’re really starting to piss me off Curran,” he growled, “I don’t _want_ a girlfriend.”

“That devoted to your studies huh?” Curran sighed, “Hein, we’re in college. This is the best four years of our lives! I know you want to get into med school and everything, but I think finding a girlfriend will do you good. That is, unless you’re…”

Curran stopped mid sentence. Heinwald was scowling at him, his crimson eyes burning with anger.

“Unless I’m what, Curran?” he snapped.

Curran opened his mouth to try to finish his sentence. He didn’t mean to offend in any way, but he really kicked the hornet’s nest here.

“No, don’t even finish,” Heinwald interrupted, his anger subsiding to irritation, “I see what kind of person you are now… you’re just like all the other muscle-headed jocks who thinks with his penis instead of his brain.”

Before Curran could say anything else, Heinwald had already stormed back out into the living room. He seemed to cover up his anger well in front of his friends, but gave Curran the cold shoulder.

“Are you sacrificial lambs prepared for your slaughter?” Heinwald asked.

“How many cultist friends do you have, Heinwald…” Amane worried.

“One for each of you,” he chuckled, “I wish you the best of luck in trying to stop me. You’ll certainly need it.”

Heinwald placed four purple cultist tokens on the board inside the pentagram chamber. He began his turn by selecting one of his omen cards, the Girl, and placing it on the pentagram chamber tile.

“One sacrifice for the Ancient One’s thrall,” he cackled, “Now off my cultists! Let us drink deep of their blood!”

Sinoa shivered, expecting him to move at least one cultist towards her, but instead, he sent them up the coal shoot, straight for Curran. The four tokens blocked the foyer, and though they had yet to reach their target, by Heinwald’s next turn, Curran would be in striking distance. Sinoa took advantage of Heinwald’s odd strategy, taking the can of paint from the larder and moving towards the pentagram chamber, throwing it inside to obscure the magic circle. Amane and Xainfried began looking for their cans of paint on the ground and upper floors, taking them before ending their turns. At last, it was Curran’s turn. Heinwald’s cultists were blocking the kitchen, the room he was supposed to grab the paint from and even with his speed of six, he wouldn’t have enough spaces to grab the paint and be out of striking range from the cultists. He sighed, choosing to go along with the initial strategy anyway, and ran into the kitchen.

Heinwald smiled, “Oh how easily the prey comes for slaughter.”

It was Heinwald’s turn again. He moved his first cultist into the kitchen, attacking Curran with a dice roll. It was the cultist’s four Might against Curran’s three, and with the lucky roll of his dice, Heinwald scored a whopping eight damage that Curran would have to defend against. Even in the best-case scenario, Curran would still take two points of physical damage. He closed his eyes and rolled the dice, the cubes clacking against the table to reveal a four. Curran grumbled, moving his Speed marker down four marks. Four Speed was the lowest he could go before death, but the skull marker was a mere two marks away for his speed and three for his Might. Just as he thought he was out of the woods, Heinwald sent two other cultists after him, whose strong rolls whittled him down to just one mark above the skull on each trait.

“Heinwald,” Curran grumbled, “You wouldn’t…”

Heinwald took his last cultist token, attacking Curran one final time. Now he only had two Might to defend with, and just like the initial cultist attack, the final one had rolled a lucky eight. There was no way for Curran to defend himself against the attack. His character was dead.

“A shame,” Heinwald sighed, “To find a sacrifice with such little substance. I almost feel guilty offering the Ancient One such unworthy fodder.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Curran snapped.

“Curran, it’s just a game,” Sinoa assured.

He knew that Heinwald targeted him on purpose, that he was still angry at him for what he said. In hindsight, Curran realized that his words were in a bit of poor taste, but Heinwald was acting ridiculously petty, and all he could do was hold his tongue lest he risk making him angrier or upsetting his friends. Curran hung his head in defeat, knocking over his character onto his side.

“Guess I’m dead then,” he sighed, “It’s up to you guys now.”

The rest of the game went surprisingly quick. Even though Curran was sacrificed, Amane had enough speed to dump her bucket of paint and go back for the second one, just in time to stop the ritual.

“We won!” Sinoa beamed, “Curran, your sacrifice wasn’t be in vain.”

“Hooray…” Curran replied unenthusiastically.

“Congratulations on your well deserved win everyone,” Heinwald said, “Though I still feel satisfied in spite of my loss.”

A vein popped on Curran’s forehead. He couldn’t take any more of this pettiness.

“Thanks for having me over for the game, but I think I’m gonna head out,” Curran grumbled.

“So soon?” Amane asked, “Don’t you want to stay for Cards Against Humanity?”

“I’ll take a rain check,” Curran said, “My head hurts and I need to go lay down in my dorm.”

“Oh ok,” Sinoa replied, concerned, “Feel better!”

“Thank you for joining us!” Xainfried added, “We’d be happy to have you again for game night any time.”

Curran finished off the rest of his beer and headed out the door. Fydon and Felix whimpered, as if they could tell that one of their owner’s guests was leaving unhappy.

“Heinwald,” Sinoa worried, “Is your roommate alright? Did something happen between you two when he went to go grab you for the haunt?”

Heinwald sighed, “Nothing of importance… Now, how about some Cards Against Humanity?”


	4. Chapter 4

It had been two weeks since Curran and Heinwald had their fight, yet Heinwald still seemed to ignore him. Every time Curran returned to his dorm, he heard nothing from his roommate. No talking, no eye contact, just silence. It was as if Heinwald pretended he wasn’t even in the room, like he didn’t even exist. Curran wasn’t exactly starved for companionship; he had Ranzal, the football team, and several other friends he could turn to, but he was _living_ with Heinwald. Curran could always request a room transfer, but that didn’t seem right with him, especially since he was the one who started the fight in the first place. He needed to try and make peace; Curran could not keep living like this. Suddenly Curran snapped back to reality, his English professor, Dr. Persopolous, dismissing the class for the day.

“Before you leave I have a gift for you,” she announced, “Your first papers are graded and I have your scores up on the student portal. You will be receiving your hard copies in person during your next section. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.”

Oh yeah, the first paper. Curran barely understood the first book they read for the class, and of course Sparknotes didn’t have a summary posted. He hoped that his bullshitting would get him a C at least. If he failed this class, even with a football scholarship, he could end up on academic probation. At least since Calculus was only taught on Mondays and Wednesdays, this lecture was his last class for the day other than football practice in the evening. He couldn’t remember how late Heinwald’s last class was on Friday, but Curran was still tempted to get him something as a peace offering. He grabbed his backpack and headed out of the lecture hall.

Even though it was still mid morning, LV was as busy as always. The line for Dragonbucks was out the door and students who didn’t have classes today walked their pet dogs or rode their bikes around the college town. He didn’t know if Heinwald was much of a coffee guy or not, but he did remember seeing him drinking bubble tea quite a bit. He had no clue what kind of drink it was other than the fact that it was purple, but maybe that might make a decent peace offering. He headed through the shopping district in LV, looking for the place that sold bubble tea. He knew that the local Alberian-Hinomotan fusion restaurant, Hina Kitchen, sold the sugary drink, but the cups Heinwald often brought home looked different, longer and thinner than the stout and wide cups from that restaurant. Curran kept moving, passing different restaurants and stores until he finally spotted some other students drinking the familiar purple beverage.

“Hey, if you don’t mind me asking,” he said, running over to the students, “What kind of drink is that? And where’d you get it? I see my roommate drinking it all the time.”

“It’s a taro boba from Honeycups,” the female student replied, “The shop is right down the street next to Ebisu Poke.”

“Thanks a bunch,” Curran smiled, “Sorry to bug you.”

Curran wasn’t much of a fish guy, but he knew where Ebisu Poke was. He headed in that direction, finding the poke restaurant on the corner of the street. Honeycups stood perpendicular to it, on the southern side. Post-its with cute doodles and messages written in Taiwuese and Hinomotan stuck to the inside of the window and a neon Open sign flashed brightly. He opened up the door, hearing H-Pop playing on the radio and seeing several Taiwuese international students sitting at one of the tables, drinking boba, eating popcorn chicken, and talking. A digital signboard hung above the counter, listing food, drink, and topping options.

“What can I get for you?” the girl behind the cash register asked.

Curran looked up at the menu. If he was going to get something for Heinwald, he might as well try out one of their drinks for himself, and maybe even get some of that popcorn chicken.

“I’ll take a large taro boba, a medium coffee boba, and an order of popcorn chicken,” Curran ordered.

“Would you like any flavor ad ons for your chicken?” she asked, “You get one flavor free.”

“Hmm, I’ll try the lemon pepper flavor.”

“Ok then.”

The cashier punched the order into the cash register.

“That’ll be $12.50,” she said.

It seemed a bit on the pricy side, but then again, Curran was getting two drinks and some chicken. He pulled out his card and slid it into the reader. Once it was accepted, he pulled the card out and the cashier grabbed his receipt and a cardstock card, punching two holes into it.

“Bring this card back and after ten punches you’ll get a free drink!” the girl explained, “Your order number is on your receipt. We’ll call you when it’s ready.”

Curran looked over at the wall, where a bunch of other post-its hung. After looking closer, he realized it wasn’t just drawings and eastern writing characters; quite a few of these had couples’ names with hearts around them. Curran had already slept with a few girls in the few weeks he had been at UNA, but he hadn’t had a steady girlfriend since high school. Maybe it was high time for him to start looking for an actual lover instead of just fooling around and having one-night stands.

“Order number 97,” the cashier called out, “Taro boba, coffee boba, and lemon pepper popcorn chicken.”

Curran walked back up to the counter, noticing his drinks and food were placed into a convenient cup holder. He popped one of the bite-sized pieces of chicken in his mouth, chewing it happily. It was tender and crispy without being too oily, and the lemon pepper seasoning was bright and delicious. The popcorn chicken alone would definitely warrant him coming back here. He headed out the door, pulling the light brown drink from the cup holder and taking a sip. It was a bit sweet for Curran’s taste, but not bad. Maybe next time he could see if they could make it with a bit less sugar, then it would be perfect for him. He kept walking through LV, making his way back to his dorm.

Curran opened up the door to the building, heading over to the staircase and climbing the seven flights until he finally reached his floor. He pushed open the stairway’s door, walking through the hallway over to room 715. Carefully, he put his coffee boba back into the drink holder, fishing into his pocket for his key. It seemed like every time he was looking for it, his keys managed to hide in the deepest crevice of his pockets, but at last, he felt the cold metal key, pulling it out and unlocking the door. As expected, Heinwald wasn’t home, but fortunately, Heinwald had brought up a mini fridge for their dorm, and Curran could keep Heinwald’s drink chilled in there until he got back. He plopped down on his bed, snacking on the popcorn chicken as he pulled out his phone. If memory served, he needed to read the next few chapters of _Heart of Darkness_ for his English class and do some assigned problems online for Calculus, but he wasn’t exactly in the mood to do either. To be fair, he never was, but he figured he’d just wait until Sunday to do them and try to relax in the meantime. Then again, he thought should probably check his score for his first English paper.

He pulled his laptop out of his bag, logging into the student portal. His classes were listed on a forum type website, and he clicked the link to redirect himself to English 101 Fall Quarter. The blue link turned purple, and the page changed to a forum specific to the class. A small exclamation point hovered in the corner by the “grades” tab. As soon as he clicked on it, his heart sunk. His grade for the class was 12%.

“No way…” Curran choked, “My paper was that bad?”

At least his lowest grade would get dropped, but now Curran had to kick it into gear. He was shocked. Curran always used to get by just fine with bullshitting his papers in high school; he didn’t realize just how much the bar had been raised for college. Still, what was he going to do? He barely understood the first book they covered, and the current one wasn’t much better. By the time he thought he began to understand the book’s themes, they were already discussing the next few chapters. If only he could have someone explain it to him, to help slow things down so he could actually grasp the themes of the novel. Curran knew what he needed, and he was glad he thought of the peace offering earlier. He needed a tutor, and given how smart his roommate was, he was just the one for the job.

***

Heinwald stepped out of the elevator, exhausted from his day of classes. Although on Fridays he got out relatively early, all of his classes were back to back, and he had midterms in half of them. He didn’t even have time to stop by LV for boba, but perhaps that was a blessing in disguise. Heinwald had a high metabolism, but he wasn’t certain how long that would last. He twisted the doorknob to his room, seeing if it was unlocked. Fortunately for him, Curran was already home, so the door swung open after he pulled the knob.

“Heinwald,” Curran exclaimed, “There’s something I really need to talk to you about.”

Heinwald turned up his nose, not saying a word as he headed over to his bed by the window.

“I got you something,” Curran said, opening up the mini fridge door.

Heinwald’s gaze darted towards the purple drink in Curran’s hand. It looked like the ice had melted a bit, but there was no denying what it was; his favorite drink from Honeycups, a taro boba.

“I know it’s not much,” Curran confessed, “But I wanted to get you something as an apology.”

Heinwald didn’t respond, but he took the drink from Curran’s hands, sipping it through the large straw.

“What I said back at your friend’s apartment,” Curran sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, “It was really uncalled for, and I feel horrible for saying it.”

“I feel like you should also apologize to Sinoa,” Heinwald replied, “The way you talked about her, it was like you were fantasizing about an object instead of a person.”

Even though Heinwald was scolding him, it was a step in the right direction; the first time Heinwald had said anything to him in weeks.

“I know,” Curran said earnestly, “And it was really fucked up of me to say it. You see, I kinda had a really bad breakup with my last girlfriend back in high school. I was completely devoted to her, but she cheated on me and broke my heart.”

“I’m sorry to hear that…” Heinwald responded.

“That’s why I’ve been more of a playboy than I’d like to admit. I didn’t want to commit to someone only to be viewed as a side dish. But I’ve been thinking about it, and I realized that the way I’ve been acting; sleeping around, being promiscuous… it makes me no different from her. So I’m going to turn over a new reef. I’ll move on from being a playboy, and I’ll give your girl friends the respect they deserve.”

“Well I suppose that’s rather noble of you, but isn’t the expression to ‘turn over a new leaf’?”

“Fuck… didn’t mean to slip up like that… But Heinwald, it’s more than just that, me trying to change myself. I’m extremely sorry for assuming you were a virgin for not wanting a relationship. I’m sure you have your own reasons, and I have no right to judge you for it.”

Heinwald paused, setting down his boba.

“Wait,” he said, “You were assuming I was a _virgin_?”

“It’s no big deal if you are or not,” Curran assured, “Or if you _want_ to lose your virginity or not, but I…”

Heinwald shook his head, guilt suddenly assaulting him.

“Oh god, this is my fault…” he thought.

Curran blinked in surprise.

“What?” Curran wondered.

“I overreacted,” Heinwald confessed, “I didn’t think you were going to say ‘What are you, a virgin?’ If I hadn’t jumped to conclusions… Damn, I’ve been such an asshole to you for no reason other than my own misunderstanding…”

“Wait, what did you think I was going to call you?”

“A faggot…”

A pause. Curran could see in Heinwald’s eyes that he had been called that before. He didn’t know who did it, or how often they called him that, but it obviously and understandably had a huge negative impact on him. Whether he was gay or not, being called such a word would make anyone upset.

“Well I can definitely understand why you’d be mad at me for that,” Curran replied, “But if it’s any comfort, I’d never call anyone that. I have a bunch of friends who are gay or bi. My buddy Ranzal had a boyfriend back in high school for a while as a matter of fact. I wouldn’t even think about calling any of my friends such a slur.”

“I’m so used to jocks being homophobic,” Heinwald confessed, “I suppose I was wrong about you Curran. Can you forgive me for being so cruel to you?”

“You’re fine Hein. It was partially my fault too. I’m just happy we’ve cleared the air. You’re not just my roommate, I’d like to consider you a friend too.”

Heinwald smiled gently, cupping his cheek in thought. It was nice to hear such sincerity from Curran, and comforting to know that he’d accept him no matter what.

“A friend huh?” he said, “Thank you Curran.”

“Of course,” Curran smiled, “But still, there is one more thing I want to ask of you.”

“Oh sure, what is it?”

Curran turned to his computer, his eyes shutting in embarrassment.

“Well you see…” he sighed, “I kinda… failed my first English paper…”

“Ouch…” Heinwald replied, “How badly?”

“12%...”

Heinwald’s eyes bulged. He wanted to be a supportive friend but receiving such a low mark was pretty pathetic. Heinwald couldn’t even get that low of a score if he tried.

“Wow,” he choked, “That’s… not great.”

“Yeah…” Curran grumbled, “I mean Dr. Cass said that she’d drop the lowest essay score, but now I gotta make sure all of my other essays are at least C worthy.”

“It sounds like you need a tutor.”

“Well, that’s actually kind of what I wanted to talk to you about. Would you mind tutoring me Hein? I don’t know how much I’ll be able to pay you, but I’ll do anything to get some help. I can carry your books, try to get you into parties, just say what you want and I’ll make it happen.”

“Curran, didn’t you say that you considered me a friend? You don’t need to pay me anything. I’d be happy to tutor you.”

“Really?”

“I may be a science major, but literature is my passion. I’d be glad to help you out with your reading comprehension. Although, if you _are_ offering a payment…”

Heinwald shook his now empty cup of bubble tea.

“You can pay me with one large taro boba per session,” Heinwald chuckled, “But since you already got me one today, I’ll consider your first session paid for.”

“Fair enough,” Curran replied.

Four dollars per tutoring session wasn’t bad at all, and since Curran had that stamp card, he’d be getting some for free. The workers at Honeycups would certainly be seeing him more often.

“Did you want me to tutor you tonight?” Heinwald offered.

“I have football practice in an hour,” Curran replied, “But I’m free tomorrow and Sunday. Will either of those days work for you?”

“I can work with that. How about tomorrow afternoon?”

“That’ll work.”

“Which novel are you currently studying by the way?”

_“Heart of Darkness.”_

“Ah, that’s a classic. I wrote a paper on that back in high school.”

“What did you get on it?”

“I can’t remember the exact percentage on the paper itself, but since I got a 98% in the class, it was probably somewhere in the high 90s.”

Curran’s jaw dropped.

“Damn,” he praised, “You must be a real expert on it.”

“Well, I would like to reread it for a quick refresher,” Heinwald said, “Would you mind letting me borrow your copy? I can finish it by tomorrow.”

“Wow, you’re a fast reader.”

“It comes with experience.”

“Yeah, I’ll let you borrow it. Let me just grab it for you.”

Curran picked up his backpack, rummaging through it and fishing out the novel. He passed it over to Heinwald, who looked over the title with intrigue.

“I’m amazed you can even understand that book,” Curran confessed, “It’s confusing as hell to me.”

“I’ve read Milton’s _Paradise Lost_ for fun,” Heinwald chuckled, “I can handle Conrad easily.”

“Well if you insist. Should I leave you be to read, or is it ok if I stick around? I may not have enough time for a tutoring lesson, but I can still chat for a little while before I head off to practice. I don’t want to distract you or anything though.”

Heinwald smiled gently, giggling to himself.

“I wouldn’t mind at all.”


	5. Chapter 5

Curran headed upstairs from the dining commons after enjoying a weekend brunch. All of the dining commons had omelet bars, waffle makers, and tons of breakfast options until 1 PM on the weekends, and Curran was eager to take advantage of it whenever he could. As soon as he reached the seventh floor, he made his way back to his room. Today, Heinwald had promised him a tutoring session where they’d be discussing the major themes of _Heart of Darkness_. Curran wasn’t exactly looking forward to the extra studying, but he didn’t have much of a choice. He needed to pass this class.

Curran pulled out his key and opened up the door, walking inside to see Heinwald already sitting at his desk, organizing his papers, pens, and books for the tutoring session. A second chair sat unoccupied next to him, which Curran assumed was meant for him. His long, silver bangs were pinned up, probably so he could see better while reading, and instead of his normal pea coat, Heinwald wore a far more comfortable sweatshirt and pair of sweatpants.

“How was brunch?” Heinwald asked.

“It was great,” Curran smiled, “Surprised you didn’t come with.”

“I wasn’t particularly hungry. Besides, I wanted to make sure I had everything set up properly for your session.”

Curran took a seat next to Heinwald, examining everything he had spread out across the desk. The novel, _Heart of Darkness_ looked quite different from when he had loaned it to Heinwald to read. It was filled with post it markers, each sticking out from between the pages on the side of the book.

“I wasn’t certain if you had rented or bought this,” Heinwald said, “So I took the liberty of using a less permanent method of marking spots with important quotes.”

“Important quotes?” Curran wondered, “Shit was I supposed to put _quotes_ in my essay?”

“I’m surprised you didn’t know that. Citing relevant quotations from your source is key to writing a strong argumentative essay.”

“I was never taught that in high school…”

“Hmm. I never realized how much of a disparity there was between AP and standard high school curriculum. No matter. I’ll just teach you what I’ve learned. You’ll be writing A quality essays in no time, Curran!”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

Heinwald opened up the novel to the first page he had marked, pushing his glasses up.

“Now, shall we begin?” he suggested.

“Ready when you are, Teach,” Curran replied.

“Well, for starters, how about we discuss the major themes in the novel? I’m not certain how far you’ve gotten, but I feel talking about the primary ideas presented will do no harm and keep you safe from spoilers. So, Curran, from what you’ve read thus far, what do you think is the main idea of the novel?”

“Uhhh…”

Curran rubbed his chin in thought. All he gathered from the book so far was that it was about a guy named Marlow who got hired to work for a Belgian ivory company in the Congo.

“Umm… that the company…” he said, “That the… fuck I don’t know…”

“You need a bit of help?” Heinwald asked.

“Please…”

“Well, I’ll give you a hint. The company invades the civilization of the Congo, mistreating the native workers and referring to them as savages. Kurtz, who is viewed as an enigmatic hero for gathering so much ivory, uses brute force and cruelty to collect this resource. Does that give you a good clue about the book’s primary theme?”

“Umm… it sounds like the author really doesn’t like how the company is going about their harvesting and settlements… Is the theme… that colonization is wrong?”

“You’re getting it Curran. Yes, Conrad has a clear disdain for imperialism and colonization. The Heart of Darkness is not only the environment, it is the madness and cruelty that lingers in the hearts of men; the corrupt desire to conquer and pillage that eats a man from the inside until he is naught but a hollow shell, a slave to his own greed and pride.”

“Damn… That’s a lot deeper than some boat ride down the Congo river.”

“Conrad is actually on the overt side when it comes to conveying his theme. But still, when analyzing literature, you must often look beyond the surface of the main plot. There are plenty of symbols throughout the text, hidden gems that help to elucidate the main theme.”

“Like what?”

“The first example I can think of is the river itself. Marlow and the company travel upstream against the current; a natural force that pushes back against them. It represents the fact that the company has intruded upon and colonized territory that isn’t theirs, subjugating people they claim to be savages, and much like the natives who resist their oppressors, the land itself resists them as well.”

“Wow. I never would have thought of that.”

“There’s also the fact that they further they travel upstream, the closer the characters inch towards madness. It pushes back against them, yet in their greed, they proceed, and Marlow witnesses for himself the insanity, evil, and greed that is deeply rooted within the company, within Kurtz, and within mankind itself.”

“This Kurtz guy in the novel… I don’t know what to make of him… The company seems to praise him for bringing in so much ivory, but isn’t what he’s doing kind of wrong?”

“The reader and Marlow himself are supposed to be placed in a moral dilemma between the company and Kurtz. Neither are right, yet both are written as equal but opposite evils. Colonization and imperialism, supremacy and brutality, corruption and madness.”

“Guess I can see why you did so well in that class. You’re like a walking encyclopedia!”

“Not exactly. I’m just well versed in how to analyze literature.”

“I’m surprised you’re not trying to become a librarian or an author or something. Something that has to do with reading. Hell you could even make an amazing detective or a lawyer. They’re great with analyzing things.”

Heinwald sighed.

“As passionate as I am about the field, I don’t exactly have much of a choice,” Heinwald confessed, “My father insisted that I become a doctor and I can’t exactly go against him.”

“Why can’t you?” Curran asked, “You should be able to study whatever you want! It’s your life, not his.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice if he thought of it that way. To him, he believes that since he is paying for my education, he should be able to choose my path. I wouldn’t be surprised if he even tries to arrange a marriage for me as soon as I graduate.”

Suddenly everything clicked. How Heinwald reacted when Curran suggested he ask Sinoa out made even more sense now.

“Is that why you didn’t want to find a girlfriend?” Curran wondered.

“Well…” Heinwald sighed, “That’s one reason I suppose.”

“Hein… sorry if I’m overstepping my boundaries, but I think it’s pretty messed up that your old man is so controlling. Do you even _want_ to become a doctor?”

“It’s not my top career choice, but I’ll manage.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, what do you want to do? Like if what your dad wanted didn’t matter. What path would you choose for yourself?”

“Well, if I am being honest…”

Heinwald set the book aside. He knew that he was getting very much off topic from their tutoring session, but being able to confide in a friend from time to time was rather comforting.

“I would love to go into forensics science,” Heinwald said, “The job I want requires a doctorate, but my father would much rather me go into medicine. Pharmacy, dentistry, surgery… I could do it, but my passion wouldn’t be there… I would be far happier researching forensics for the I.L.I.A.”

“The I.L.I.A?” Curran asked, a smile stretching across his face, “No kidding! My dream job is to work as a detective for them!”

“Is that so? I was somehow under the impression that you were studying criminology to become a cop after graduating.”

“Hell no. I have far too many gripes with the police system to ever join them. As a detective, I could help solve actual cases against dangerous criminals. Cops just instill fear and abuse their power. That isn’t how I roll.”

“Interesting. It seems you are far more intelligent than you let off.”

“Um, thanks I guess? But what do you mean by that?”

“You’re able to notice corruption and show disdain for it in real life instead of remaining blinded by the status quo. Many authors actually write in order to make social commentary on the world around them. If you look at a novel the same way you do the real world, I have a feeling grasping the themes will come far easier to you; especially if the book criticizes corruption and injustice.”

“Really? I never would have thought that a book written decades ago would still have themes relevant to today.”

“Many modern controversies stem from the innate conflict between those who cling to tradition and those who desire progress. Writers have documented this conflict since the creation of written languages, and orators long before them. They are curators of the conflicts in our history that have otherwise fallen into obscurity, the voices of the silenced.”

“You’re so wise. How did you even learn all this? We’re the same age, aren’t we?”

“I learned it by reading.”

Heinwald chuckled, handing the book back to Curran.

“I suggest you go in with a more discerning eye from now on,” Heinwald suggested, “You might even soon see the appeal of reading for fun.”

“I mean I can try,” Curran reluctantly accepted, “Though I doubt I’ll ever get to your level.”

“You never know. Just because I got a head start doesn’t mean you can’t catch up.”

Curran opened up the book, his eyes darting to the parts marked with post it tags. Each of them highlighted a quotation relevant to the main theme. Since the tags were more markers than actual notes, Curran would have to do the analysis himself, but this alone was a huge help.

“When the time comes for you to submit your paper, I can look it over for you and give you my feedback if I want,” Heinwald offered.

“I kinda wait until the last second to write them,” Curran admitted embarrassedly, “Would you even have time to look it over?”

Heinwald sighed, “Curran, you can only skip the outlining and editing process when you’re completely confident with your prose writing ability. Even I still start on my papers at least three days in advance, just to make sure I have covered everything I want to discuss and ensure that there are no grammatical or spelling errors. Some still have unfortunately slipped by, but I was self editing. You’re lucky that you have a tutor to edit for you.”

“Ok fine… I’ll plan ahead… But in exchange, we’re doing something fun tonight after we’re done with the tutoring session.”

Heinwald’s face flushed red.

“What do you mean by something fun?” Heinwald blushed, “Are you asking me to…”

“To come grab dinner with me,” Curran beamed, “We haven’t really eaten together since the first day of class, and I think that it’s high time we change that.”

Heinwald’s blush grew deeper, making him turn his head so Curran wouldn’t notice.

“Well, I suppose if you insist,” Heinwald replied, playing hard to get, “Are we going to the dining commons or somewhere in LV?”

“I don’t know how much you like Taiwuese food, but I saw this hot pot place over by the convenience store that looked pretty good,” Curran suggested, “Want to try it out with me?”

“That actually sounds wonderful. I’d be happy to try it.”

“Do you want to invite any of your friends? I might ask Ranzal or Luca to come join us.”

Heinwald’s blush faded and his lips turned downward.

“Oh…” he moped, “So it won’t just be the two of us?”

“I mean, if you don’t want me to invite them I won’t,” Curran said, “I just like to have a large group whenever I go out with friends.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I just get a bit nervous around people I’ve never met.”

“You don’t gotta worry about them! Ranzal and Luca are both cool guys. What time do you think the session will be done? I’ll shoot Ranz a text to see if he can come join us.”

“The session can last as long as you want. Though I recommend at least another 30 minutes of study and discussion time.”

“Sounds good to me. How about 6 for meeting up in LV?”

“I’m fine with that.”

“Sweet, now let’s get back to talking about this book.”

Time passed rather quickly for the rest of the tutoring session. Even after Heinwald said that Curran was good on studying for the day, the two kept talking, discussing their views, their hopes, their dreams for the future. Curran may be a jock and a bit of a dumbass from time to time, but he was surprisingly sincere, kind, understanding. His and Heinwald’s views on the world were nearly identical, both valuing justice over corruption, equity and equality over division and discrimination. It was comforting for Heinwald to see that underneath Curran’s muscles was a heart of gold. Before they knew it, it was 5:30, and Heinwald had to throw on some actual clothes other than his loungewear if he wanted to look somewhat presentable when meeting Curran’s friends.

As Heinwald began to strip off his shirt to change, Curran found himself staring. The caramel colored skin that stretched over the right half of his face also covered his entire right arm, his collarbone, and half of his chest. Patches of darker skin also blotted across his stomach and back, and most of his left leg was the same dark tone. Initially, Curran thought the dark patch on Heinwald’s face was a burn scar or a really large birthmark, and he was pretty surprised to see darker skin elsewhere on his body, standing out so stark in contrast to the porcelain skin of the left side of his face and chest and right side of his hips down.

“Hey Heinwald, sorry if this comes off as rude but…” Curran asked, “What happened to your skin? Did you get burned or something?”

“It’s just a skin condition I have,” Heinwald replied, “Vitiligo. I may not look it now, but my skin was actually pretty dark when I was younger. I just started losing melanin when I was around twelve years old. But it’s not contagious if you’re worried about that.”

“Not at all. I actually think it’s pretty cool looking.”

Cool looking? Heinwald was surprised that Curran thought that way. Vitiligo wasn’t the most common skin condition, so people were sadly often put off by Heinwald’s appearance.

“You’re the first one to tell me that,” he said, “My skin was one of the many things I used to be bullied for.”

“Is that why you always wear that stuffy pea coat and grow your bangs out like that?” Curran wondered.

“At first it was, but I do like the jacket, and I’ve gotten used to my hairstyle.”

“Hein, you shouldn’t have to worry about covering it up like that. The people who teased you for your skin condition are just assholes. Your skin is just one more cool, unique thing about you. Besides, it’s still pretty hot out. You must be burning up whenever you wear that heavy coat.”

“Are you certain I won’t get teased if I don’t wear my coat?”

“If anyone does say anything funny to you, I’ll be there to stand up for you. But if I’m being honest, you might actually get hit on.”

“Well then, I suppose I can leave my coat here for tonight.”

Heinwald pulled a short-sleeved chemise out of his closet, buttoning it up to his collarbone. Quite a few of the patchy parts of his skin would be on full display, but Curran was right. He had hidden who he was for too long. It was high time Heinwald finally embraced what made him unique. He wasn’t in high school anymore. All of the pettiness, the bullying, the torment was over, especially if he had someone like Curran as a friend who would stick up for him no matter what. As Heinwald looked at himself in the mirror, Curran walked up behind him, whistling at the sight.

“See? You look good!” Curran encouraged.

“Do you really think so?” Heinwald asked.

“I wouldn’t lie to you about it. I think it’s a nice change.”

“Thank you Curran.”

“Now let’s hurry out! I don’t wanna keep Ranzal and Luca waiting.”

Curran grabbed onto Heinwald’s hand, making his heart skip a beat. He led him out the door, locking it behind them, his hand still intertwined with Heinwald’s. Heinwald gripped Curran’s hand tighter, never wanting to let go. He didn’t have to worry about his old trauma from high school or his father’s controlling and disdaining nature anymore. Now he had a friend who cared about him. Now he could forget the past and move on into the bright future.


	6. Chapter 6

Curran took a deep breath as he walked into his English 101 section. He could have checked his score online, but he wanted to look at the comments on the returned hard copy of his paper first. Heinwald had looked over it several times and offered his seal of approval, but Curran still feared that it wasn’t good enough. Anxiety was eating him from the inside out, the slow, soft ticking of the clock on the classroom wall sounding as loud as gunshots, each second passing like an hour. At long last his TA walked into the room, a stack of papers in his hand.

“Afternoon, everyone,” he smiled, “I’ve got some good news for you all. Your papers are graded, and the class average was much higher than the first one! I’m proud of you guys!”

“Are you going to pass them back?” Curran urged.

“Well, I was going to wait until the end of section, but I don’t see why not. But if any of you do have questions on the paper or want to dispute your grade, I would request that you wait until after our discussion section is over.”

The TA shuffled through the papers, placing them face down on the respective students’ desks. Curran’s palms grew sweaty in anticipation. The moment of truth was upon him. Heinwald was such a wonderful tutor, Curran felt that if he flubbed this paper, he’d be letting Heinwald down just as much as he’d be letting himself down. On the bright side, after the low bar set by his first paper, it would be pretty difficult for his score to get any worse. His heart nearly stopped when the TA put his essay down on his desk. Curran had never flipped a piece of paper over faster in his life. It was like ripping a band-aid off. He needed to get this over with, whether the results were good or bad.

A smile stretched across his face. At the top of the page, right by the title was his score, written in red and circled: an 83%. Next to it, the TA had written “nice improvement!” and drawn a little smiley face. He did it. Heinwald would be so proud of him.

“The class average for this paper was an 81%,” the TA announced, “I was so happy to give out far more A’s and B’s this time around. Did you guys enjoy Conrad that much?”

Curran was over the moon. Not only had he passed his essay, but he was also above the class average.

“But alas time keeps ever moving forward,” the TA said, “We have escaped from the Heart of Darkness, seeing the corruption and evil within man and the horrors of colonization, and it is time for us to witness the folly of high society, and see the Importance of Being Earnest.”

The section went silent, no doubt annoyed at their TA’s dad-joke level puns. But Curran didn’t mind. He was still basking in the glow of his own success, and he couldn’t wait to share the good news with his roommate. For the rest of the class, they discussed the current work they were reading, a satire poking fun at high society by Oscar Wilde, _The Importance of Being Earnest._ Curran wasn’t certain if the comedy was just easier to understand or if his reading comprehension skills had improved since Heinwald started tutoring him, but he found this work way easier to understand. While Curran used to just sit back and daydream while his fellow students discussed the story, he actually found himself contributing to it, offering enlightening analysis of the text. The fifty-minute section that always seemed to slog by before seemed to pass in an instant, and soon enough, the TA was dismissing everyone for the day. As Curran began packing up his belongings, his TA stopped by his desk, an inquisitive look upon his face.

“Wait a minute, Curran,” he said, “If you have the time, may I talk to you for a bit?”

“Am I in trouble?” Curran worried.

“No far from it! I actually wanted to talk to you about the grade discrepancy between your first and second papers.”

“Oh yeah…”

Curran never wanted to think about that 12% grade again, but he brought it on himself. It was his own fault for not taking college seriously at the time.

“You made quite the leap of improvement from your first paper,” the TA noticed, “And it seems you have been far more eager to participate in class discussion too. Were you going through a hard time in your first two weeks? If so, I can ask Dr. Persopolous if she’ll permit you to rewrite it.”

“What do you mean by a hard time?” Curran wondered.

“I’ve had students get into slumps if there was an incident that sparked a decline in their mental health: loss in the family, feeling homesick, sudden onslaught of depression, etc. It can be a surprising demerit on the quality of ones work, and Dr. Persopolous is very understanding about those kinds of situations.”

“You know as much as I’d like to redeem myself from that first score, I kinda brought it on myself. I was partying way too much and ignoring my studies, but now I got myself a tutor, and I’m trying to kick myself into gear to make up for it.”

“A tutor? Wow, they’ve certainly worked their magic! Who is tutoring you if I may ask? If they’re a grad student, I might recommend some other students to them.”

“Well, it’s actually my roommate who’s tutoring me, and he’s a freshman too.”

“Is he an English major?”

“Nope, Biology, but he’s very smart.”

“It’s a darn shame he isn’t in this department. He would make an excellent TA.”

“I’m sure he’d feel the same, but he’s got a lot on his plate right now.”

“Well, tell him that if he ever feels like changing majors, adding a minor, or going for a double major, the English department will welcome him with open arms!”

“Will do. Am I free to go?”

“Of course. See you next week!”

Curran grabbed his bags and headed back to his dorm. Due to his 4-4:50 English section, Curran actually got out around the same time as Heinwald on Mondays. He wanted to do something to celebrate, to thank Heinwald for all of his help, but it wouldn’t be smart of them to be out too late at the beginning of the school week. As he made his way home, he noticed Halloween decorations starting to pop up in LV. The quarter sure was breezing by fast. It was already late October.

“That’s it!” Curran thought.

Heinwald wasn’t much of a party guy, but he loved spooky things. He was certain that even he would enjoy a Halloween party, and UNA was renowned for them. Students from two towns over would even come to LV just to get a taste of UNA’s night-life on Halloween, but the best Halloween parties were ones exclusive to fraternity and sorority members and their friends. He pulled out his phone, sliding it to unlock it. It was time to get the old pal Ranzal to pull some strings.

***

Heinwald opened up the door to his room, hearing Curran’s voice from behind it. He slowly opened it, noticing Curran lying down on his bed, having a conversation on the phone. Heinwald made sure to not make much noise as he walked by. He didn’t want to be rude and interrupt his roommate.

“Really?” Curran said into the phone, “Awesome! You’re the best Ranz! …Yeah we’ll see you on Saturday… K, bye.”

Curran hung up his phone, standing up from his bed with a smile on his face.

“Heinwald! You’re the best!” he beamed.

Heinwald yelped in surprise as Curran ran over to him, pulling him into a tight hug.

“I got an 83% on my paper!” he exclaimed.

“Congratulations!” Heinwald replied, choking a bit as Curran hugged him tighter.

“I couldn’t have done it without you!”

“You did well Curran. You worked hard and earned that grade. I only pushed you in the right direction.”

“Still, I feel we should celebrate. How about this weekend, you come with me to Ranzal’s frat’s Halloween party? It’ll be a ton of fun.”

Heinwald’s brow raised in intrigue.

“A Halloween party?” he wondered.

“You interested?” Curran asked.

“Well, I’m not too big on large parties… loud music usually makes my bad ear ring, but a Halloween party is tempting.”

“Come on, you should come! We can get ourselves some cool costumes to wear in LV too! I think I saw a costume store over by the LV Theater.”

“Must you continue to beguile me so, Curran?”

Curran separated from the hug, walking behind Heinwald and hovering his head over his shoulder. He held his index fingers up by the crown of his head, imitating horns like he was Heinwald’s shoulder devil.

“Do it!” Curran urged, “You know you want to, Heinwald.”

“You’ve already convinced me Curran,” Heinwald chuckled, “You don’t need to stoop to dramatics.”

“Well, it made you laugh, so I think it was worth it! You always look so serious most of the time. It’s nice to see you smiling and laughing.”

Heinwald blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Curran,” he flushed.

“Do you wanna go grab a celebratory dinner with me?” Curran suggested, “Well, as celebratory as dining commons food can get…”

“If you’re worried about dinner being lackluster, maybe we could get some ice cream from the LV Parlor afterwards.”

“I’m not much of a sweets guy, but if you want it, I’ll treat you to it. As a thank you for tutoring me and helping me out of the hole I dug myself.”

“That sounds lovely. Thank you Curran.”

***

Heinwald’s eyes lit up as he and Curran walked into LV’s local ice cream parlor. At least fifteen different flavors of ice cream were on display and a vast selection of different types of cookies and brownies sat in a display case, perfect for Sundays and ice cream sandwiches. He salivated at the options, all crafted from scratch in downtown New Alberia and shipped straight to LV for students to enjoy. Churros con leche, lemon and marionberries, earl grey tea and shortbread, strawberry rhubarb; Heinwald didn’t know what flavor to choose. They all looked so delicious.

“Curran,” he asked, “Should I get the smallest size?”

“Get anything you want,” Curran insisted, “It’s your thank you gift.”

Heinwald rubbed his hands, mulling over his options before deciding the flavors he wanted.

“Can I get a medium sized cup with two flavors?” Heinwald asked the cashier.

“Sure thing!” the employee replied, grabbing their scoop, “What flavors would you like?”

“The strawberry rhubarb and lemon and marionberries,” he said.

The cashier dipped the scoop into one of the tubs of ice cream, rolling out a perfect sphere of delicious, creamy ice cream before dunking the utensil in water and doing the same for the second flavor. He placed a plastic spoon into the top scoop, handing it off to Heinwald as Curran paid for the treat. Heinwald pulled a spoonful of the pink, strawberry rhubarb ice cream from the cup, locking his lips around the frigid mouthful. It was deliciously sweet with tart notes from the strawberries and rhubarb that danced on his tongue and melted in his mouth.

“You really like sweet things, don’t you Hein?” Curran chuckled.

“I may have a bit of a sweet tooth, yes,” Heinwald confessed, “You don’t think that’s weird, do you?”

“Why would I? I think it’s cute!”

Heinwald’s cheeks turned pink, and he averted his gaze bashfully.

“Cute, huh?” he replied.

“Yeah,” Curran assured, “You wanna go sit in the park and eat your ice cream? It might be nice to watch the sunset while you eat.”

“I would love that.”

Curran held the door open for Heinwald, letting him walk out while still enjoying his ice cream. They passed the LV Theater, sitting down on a bench in the nearby park. Curran was so used to seeing the more lively side of LV, with students hopping from party to party, but being able to enjoy the pure serenity of relaxing in the park with his roommate and watching the sun melt down past the horizon was bliss.

“Curran,” Heinwald offered, “Would you like to try some of my ice cream? I know you aren’t a big fan of sweets, but I think you might like it.”

“Sure, why not,” Curran conceded, “A bite won’t kill me.”

Heinwald held a spoonful of ice cream up to Curran’s mouth, watching as his lips closed around it.

“You know,” Curran said, “This ain’t half bad. I might have to get something from there next time.”

“Thank you for getting it for me,” Heinwald smiled, taking another bite for himself.

The sun completely set past the horizon, the sky turning black save for the bright speckling of stars and calming glow of the moon. Heinwald looked up at the night sky, admiring the beautiful view. Curran found himself staring as well, admiring that look of peace in Heinwald’s eyes.

“Hein,” he said.

“What is it?” Curran wondered.

“I don’t mean to peel off an old scab or anything, but I gotta be honest with you about something.”

“What would that be, Curran?”

“I know you said you weren’t interested in dating anyone… but…”

Heinwald’s heart skipped a beat. Was Curran really going to…

“But what?” he asked.

“But…” Curran started, “But I think you’re a really great guy; the kind of guy who would make any girl, very, very happy. I’d love to see you find someone who makes you happy too. You really saved my skin from flunking out of college, and you deserve it.”

“Is that so… well, as much as I’d like to find a partner, my father would never approve, no matter who I choose… Why should I fall in love with someone only for it to never bear fruit? I feel like if I did find a lover, I would be leading them on to an inevitable breakup… it would be less cruel of me to just resign myself to my fate…”

“I don’t care. Fuck what your father thinks. If you want a girlfriend, you shouldn’t have to worry about what he thinks. It’s your choice. It’s your life.”

Heinwald stirred his spoon into the half melted remnants of his ice cream, sighing melancholically.

“I wish I were as brave as you are, Curran,” Heinwald confessed, “The idea of living a life not pre-ordained by my father’s wills sounds like nothing more than a fantasy. I wish I could go against him but… I’m scared…”

“You know what,” Curran assured, “I’m gonna help you break out of that fear. I’ll help you find a partner; someone you love so much you won’t give a shit about what your father thinks.”

“Curran, you really don’t have to…”

“I want to… I’m not overstepping my boundaries again though… right?”

Heinwald chuckled.

“Not this time, no,” he smiled, “I appreciate the thought a lot, Curran, but I apologize if I’m slow to accept it.”

“So what’s your type?” Curran asked.

“My type? Oh… well… tall, blonde, blue eyes, a bit of a tan…”

“Hmm. I’ve definitely seen girls around campus that fit that description. I’ll tell you what. If I find a girl that looks like that at the Halloween party, I’ll be your wingman.”

“That’s… appreciated, Curran…”

“We’re gonna get you a nice girl who makes you happy, and then I’ll find a girl for myself. Maybe we could even go on double dates when we finally get steady girlfriends!”

“… I guess that would be nice…”

“Man, this is gonna be the best. College really is where you make your dreams come true.”

“I suppose so… Curran…”

“Hm?”

Heinwald’s mouth moved, yet he couldn’t find the words to express himself. He crushed his ice cream cup in his hands and shook his head.

“It’s getting pretty late,” Heinwald said, “Maybe we should head back to the dorm so I can shower and get some rest for my classes tomorrow.”

“Oh yeah. Sorry I kinda lost track of the time,” Curran confessed, “I feel like I could talk to you for hours and not get bored.”

“Thank you Curran… You’re pretty fun to chat with too…”

Heinwald threw away his cup and spoon in a nearby trashcan. His heart felt like it had sunk into his stomach. He knew that Curran was trying to be nice and clearly cared for him… as a friend. Why was he getting so depressed about Curran wanting to make him happy? He should be content that Curran was at least trying to look out for him and his love life.

“Must I be so particular…” Heinwald sighed, “It never would have worked out in the first place… I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up…”

“Hein,” Curran called out, “Are you coming?”

He turned around to Curran, who was smiling and waving at him cordially. Heinwald hid his sorrows behind a smirk, trying not to ruin the kindness and friendship Curran had shown him with his own, selfish desires.

“Ah yes,” he replied, “I’ll be right there.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut this chapter

Heinwald slipped into his lab coat, straightening out his costume for the Halloween party tonight. Carefully, he drew a black stitch line across his face with eye liner, dividing the darker right half of his face from the lighter left half, making it appear like his face was two separate pieces that had been sewn together. He did the same with his neck, drawing a stitch line around its circumference. His “undead mad scientist” costume was a bit more half assed than the Halloween costumes he normally liked to wear, but none of the costumes in the store in LV really appealed to him. It was mostly sexy costumes for girls and low quality special effects makeup. At least he still had a lab coat he could repurpose from his chemistry lab class.

“How do I look?” Curran asked, walking up behind him.

Heinwald turned around to see Curran wearing nothing but a torn up pair of jeans, a few strips of gauze wrapped around his forehead and arms, and some special effects makeup smudged across his face and chest. His hair was disheveled and his goatee looked extra scruffy.

“Like a fuckboy,” Heinwald chuckled, “What are you even supposed to be, Curran?”

“A zombie?” Curran replied, “But like… the sexy kind.”

“Well I suppose you pull it off well. You won’t be cold without a shirt on, will you?”

“I’ll be fine. Besides, I gotta show off the goods.”

Curran flexed his biceps proudly, posing to show off his muscles.

“I’m kinda surprised you’re covering up so much,” Curran confessed.

“I don’t exactly have any ‘goods’ to show off, Curran,” Heinwald sighed.

“Well, once we get to the party, you might change your mind and take your coat off. It can get pretty hot on the dance floor in more ways than one.”

“I’ll take your word for it, I suppose.”

“Well, I’m ready to head out when you are. You good to go?”

“Mhm. Lead the way Curran.”

The two walked out of their dorm and towards the elevator. Many more costumed students waited in their floor’s common area for the elevator, no doubt heading out to Halloween parties themselves. Once it arrived, they crammed like sardines into the cramped space, Heinwald and Curran just barely squeezing in. The elevator stopped at other floors on the way down, but no one else had the gall to cram into the already stuffed to capacity elevator. It was moments like this when Heinwald was thankful that he wasn’t claustrophobic. Once the elevator arrived at the ground floor, the costumed students spilled out of the confined space like water rushing from a ruptured dam.

“Did you want to stop by Dragonbucks or Honeycups for some caffeine before we hit the party?” Curran offered, “It’s gonna be lasting all night and I want to stay pretty late.”

“I think I should be fine,” Heinwald replied, “Now let’s head over before we’re late.”

Curran led Heinwald through LV, down to fraternity row. Music coming from the frat houses made the ground feel like it was rumbling, and bright lights flashed from within. At last, they stopped in front of Ranzal’s frat house, ΨΠΔ. When Curran knocked on the door, the host himself, Ranzal, came to answer. He wore brown wolf ears and an unbuttoned button down shirt, clearly dressed as a werewolf.

“Glad you guys could make it!” he beamed, “You guys dressed up as Dr. Frankenstein and his monster?”

Heinwald didn’t realize it until now, but even though they didn’t plan to match, his and Curran’s outfits did go well together.

“We are,” Heinwald replied, “Thank you for having us.”

“No prob! You guys look great,” Ranzal said, “Curran, did you want me to show him around the house or would you prefer to do the honors?”

“I mean, unless anything’s changed from the last party, I think I can be his guide,” Curran replied.

“Well, Luca did set up a mini haunted house out back,” Ranzal informed, “If you guys want to check that out.”

“A haunted house you say?” Heinwald replied with intrigue, “I would love to see that. Well, after I get something to drink of course.”

“Sylas is mixing drinks in the kitchen,” Ranzal directed, “Same place as last time, Curran.”

“Got it,” Curran responded, “I’ll show Heinwald over.”

“Enjoy the party!” Ranzal exclaimed.

Heinwald winced as he walked into the fraternity with Curran, the loud music buzzing in his bad ear. It wasn’t anything painful, just a minor annoyance. He and Curran walked into the kitchen, seeing a ponytailed boy in wizard robes stirring a cauldron full of punch.

“Sylas!” Curran shouted, “Whatcha mixing there?”

“A special Halloween punch,” Sylas informed, ladling some out into a cup, “Want some?”

“What’s in it?” Heinwald wondered.

“Orange juice, light, dark, and Bacardi rum, lime bitters, orange slices, and macerated strawberries,” Sylas listed.

“Oh I’ll definitely have some,” Heinwald salivated.

He took the red solo cup from Sylas, taking a big drink. Heinwald winced as soon as the liquid passed his lips, but then took another sip after getting used to its potency.

“How is it?” Curran wondered.

“Strong,” Heinwald replied, “But tasty.”

“Guess I’ll take some of that punch too Sylas,” Curran ordered.

Sylas poured Curran a drink as well, handing it off to him.

“Come back if you want more!” Sylas said, “And have fun!”

Curran and Heinwald walked out of the kitchen with their drinks in hand, heading out onto the dance floor. Heinwald could already feel himself sweating under his labcoat, the uncomfortable clamminess only made worse by the sheer amount of sweating bodies on the dance floor.

“So,” Curran yelled over the music, “You wanna dance? Mingle? Or maybe check out Luca’s haunted house.”

“The haunted house please,” Heinwald replied, his voice barely audible over the music.

Curran nodded his head, leading Heinwald out to the backyard. The cool, night air was a blessing to Heinwald, far more comfortable than the hot, crowded interior of the frat house. A large canopy had been set up leading to the garage, what Heinwald assumed was the haunted house. Curran spotted a familiar head of seafoam green hair standing out in front of the tent. He too was wrapped up in gauze bandages, dressed up as a mummy.

“Luca!” Curran shouted, “Is this your haunted house?”

“Oh, Curran! Heinwald!” Luca beamed back, “Yeah! I worked hard to make it nice and spooky. You guys want to check it out?”

“Of course!” Heinwald said eagerly, “Do we need to leave our drinks out here?”

“Yeah…” Luca sighed, “I don’t want to risk anything getting spilled in there, but I’ll keep an eye on them for you!”

Heinwald looked down at his drink. He was already starting to feel a bit tipsy, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to finish it off. Heinwald knocked his drink back, downing the rest of it and setting the cup down. He shivered, wiping his mouth of the mixed drink still clinging to his upper lip.

“Well, I’m ready to go in,” he smiled.

“I’m impressed,” Curran replied, “But I think I’m just gonna leave my drink out here with Luca.”

Curran handed off his drink to Luca, who then pushed back a curtain for them to walk inside.

“Enter if you dare!” Luca said creepily, laughing shortly after.

Heinwald and Curran stepped into the dimly lit haunted house. Only black lights and a few lanterns illuminated the path. Ominous music played and fake blood was splattered across the floor. Heinwald grabbed onto Curran’s hand, looking at him smugly.

“Are you scared?” Heinwald teased.

“Not at all!” Curran replied, “So it looks like this is just a small maze. Guess we just walk through it ‘til the end?”

‘That’s how haunted houses work, Curran.”

“Yeah, yeah. Let’s go already.”

The two followed the path that Luca had set up, walking by spider webs, fake severed limbs, buckets of blood. Fog hung low in the maze as machines spat the eerie gas out and shadows of “monsters” passed along the curtain hung walls. Even though the area itself was on the small side, it seemed like the walls were moving, changing the maze as they walked through it. No doubt it was other frat members moving the walls around, but Heinwald still appreciated the effort to make the haunted house seem creepier. As they turned a corner, Curran heard a chainsaw revving, and a frat boy in a bloodied hockey mask jumped out at them. Heinwald grabbed onto Curran’s arm, hugging him close from the jump scare.

“Who’s scared now?” Curran teased.

“I’m not scared,” Heinwald blushed, “I’m just… a little tipsy and lost my balance.”

“Whatever you say…”

Heinwald didn’t let go of Curran’s hand as they walked past the “monster.” He wasn’t afraid per say, but he could feel the alcohol starting to kick in. Perhaps it wasn’t very wise of him to chug a potent cocktail before doing something like this that required a lot of motor skills. Still, whether it was drunkenness or fear, Heinwald had a good excuse to hold onto Curran. As they continued through the haunted house, Heinwald’s movements turned unstable. It became hard for him to walk in a straight line, let alone walk through the maze. Curran now had two factors fighting against him in their escape; Luca’s well-designed haunted house and Heinwald’s intoxication. At last, he saw a light at the end of the tunnel, guarded by two more frat boys dressed as monsters. He heaved Heinwald’s arm over his shoulder, dragging him past the two “monsters” attempting to scare them and back into the backyard.

“Well,” Luca beamed, “What did you guys think?”

“It was great Luca,” Heinwald said, his speech slightly slurred from inebriation, “Very spooky.”

“Luca, do you guys have any bottles of water?” Curran asked, “I think Hein might have had a bit too much to drink.”

“You’re so mean Curran! I’m jus having some fun.”

“Yeah but I don’t want you throwing up on anyone.”

“I know we have tap water in the kitchen,” Luca said, returning Curran’s drink.

“Thanks,” Curran grunted, “We’ll catch you around.”

Curran lugged Heinwald back into the house, returning to the kitchen and grabbing an empty solo cup from Sylas’ mixing station. He filled it up with cold water from the sink, handing it off to Heinwald.

“Drink it,” Curran urged.

“Why?’ Heinwald retorted.

“I’m just tryin’ to look out for you. If you’re such a lightweight, why did you drink your punch so fast?”

Heinwald took the water, sipping it embarrassedly.

“To impress you…” Heinwald confessed, “I don’t want you thinking I’m a stick in the mud forever…”

“Hein…” Curran sighed, “You don’t need to push yourself to impress me. I just want you to have a good time! You could have come here and not drank a single drop of alcohol and it would have been fine. There’s no wrong way to enjoy a frat party!”

Heinwald looked down into his cup of water, raising it to his lips and drinking the rest. He wasn’t completely sobered up, but it certainly helped to clear his head and calm him down.

“Good boy,” Curran smiled, ruffling his hair, “You can still drink some alcohol more if you want, but just take it slow, ok?”

“Ok…” Heinwald replied.

“Well, what do you want to do now? I might go dance and mingle a bit.”

“I actually… kind of need to use the restroom.”

“Do you feel like throwing up?”

“No. I just have to go.”

“Mmk. I’ll meet up with you in a bit then.”

The pair parted ways, Curran heading over to the dance floor while Heinwald looked for the bathroom. As he swayed to the music, Curran kept his eyes peeled for girls. Heinwald may be a bit drunk at the moment, but that wasn’t going to stop Curran from being a good wingman.

“Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a tan,” he repeated to himself, scanning the dance floor.

Suddenly he spotted her, a girl who fit Heinwald’s type to a tee. She was tall and curvaceous, her long, curly blonde hair tied into a side ponytail. A pirate hat sat on her head and a heart shaped eye patch covered one of her blue eyes. Jackpot. He squeezed through the crowd until he finally met up with her.

“Hey there,” he flirted, “I’m digging the pirate costume.”

“Thanks,” she flirted back, “I like your… zombie boyband costume?”

Curran chuckled. In hindsight, his costume was so half assed he couldn’t really deny any guesses.

“How are you liking the party?” Curran asked.

“It’s great!” she replied, “Are you a part of this frat?”

“Nah, I just know a guy. My name’s Curran by the way. What’s yours?”

“Karina.”

“Karina… That’s a beautiful name. Fits you perfectly.”

Karina giggled playfully.

“Thank you Curran,” she winked.

“Say, Karina,” Curran said, turning on the charm, “Are you dating anyone?”

“I’m not. Why? Are you interested?”

“Actually, my friend spotted you and fell for you at first sight. He’s a bit shy, but pretty good-looking and very sweet. Would you mind if I introduce him to you?”

Karina blushed.

“Oh?” she cooed, “I’d love to meet him.”

“Perfect. Let me just go find him.”

Curran left the dance floor to look for Heinwald, heading over to the nearest bathroom. He doubted that he was in there for that long, but still figured it was a good idea to check. Yet to his surprise, the bathroom was unoccupied. He kept looking around the frat house, checking the kitchen, the dance floor, even the backyard, but there was still no sign of him. Did he leave? He checked his phone to see if Heinwald had texted him that he was heading home, yet in spite of his flood of Twitter and Instagram notifications, he didn’t see a single message from Heinwald. There was only other one place he could have been; in one of the bedrooms upstairs. Curran had been up to Ranzal’s room countless times before, and he was always willing to loan it out to couples that wanted to get it on. Maybe Heinwald had already found a girl he liked and was getting lucky. Curran needed to see this for himself: to congratulate him for finding a girl and losing his virginity.

Curran headed upstairs. Many of the rooms remained open, just in case people wanted to use them or frat members decided to retire early. He headed down the hallway, making his way for Ranzal’s room. As expected, the door was shut, but if Heinwald was in there he figured it wouldn’t do him any harm to crack it open a little and sneak a peek inside. Curran gently opened up the door by an inch, pressing his eye to the crack. His jaw dropped at the sight. Heinwald was in there, but his partner was…

“Ranzal?” Curran whispered to himself.

There was no denying what he saw. Heinwald was sitting on Ranzal’s lap, making out with him as Ranzal groped at his ass. He always knew Ranzal was bi, but he had no idea that Heinwald was gay. Then again, this definitely explained a lot; why he was reluctant to find a girlfriend, why he got so upset over thinking Curran was going to call him a “faggot,” why he feared his father would never approve of a lover he chose. Heinwald didn’t want a girlfriend. He wanted a _boyfriend_.

“Fuck, Heinwald,” Ranzal hissed, “You’re so sexy. Can I put it in?”

Heinwald whimpered as Ranzal grinded his clothed boner against the curve of his ass.

“I’m not really in the mood for anal,” Heinwald panted, “But I can suck you off instead.”

“Well, I can’t say no to that,” Ranzal growled.

Heinwald crawled off of Ranzal’s lap and got on his knees on the floor, his face mere inches away from Ranzal’s crotch. He unzipped Ranzal’s pants with his teeth, licking his lips as Ranzal’s leaking cock bobbed out. Without hesitation, Heinwald pressed his lips against the tip, swirling his tongue around it and bobbing his head up and down. Curran couldn’t look away. He had never seen this side of Heinwald before. His cock twitched in his pants, hardening as he watched his normally quiet and reserved roommate give a blowjob so good it made even someone as tough as Ranzal moan in pleasure.

“Damn, you’re good at this,” Ranzal praised, running his fingers through Heinwald’s long hair.

Heinwald hummed happily in response, fondling Ranzal’s balls as he continued to suck and lick at his cock. Curran always thought he was straight; that he’d be an ally to his LGBT friends, but never be able to sleep with another man himself. Yet here he was, his cock harder than it had ever gotten with a girl, just from watching Heinwald suck another guy off. Discreetly, he pulled his own cock out, rubbing it fervently and trying to imagine himself in Ranzal’s place. What kind of lewd expressions was Heinwald making? How would those soft lips and that warm tongue feel around his dick? Curran couldn’t help but be jealous. It wasn’t fair for Heinwald to show off his sexy side like this, even if they were just friends.

Ranzal gripped onto the sides of Heinwald’s head, thrusting into the back of his throat and fucking his face. Heinwald coughed and sputtered, but continued sucking, even as tears pricked at the corners of his eyes from having his throat fucked open. His hand reached into his own pants, wrapping around his own dick to stroke himself off while he blew Ranzal. Curran picked up the pace of his strokes, biting his lower lip to muffle his grunts.

_“Be gentler with him Ranz,”_ Curran thought, _“If you’re gonna be rough with him, at least make him feel good too.”_

“Heinwald,” Ranzal grumbled, “Shit… I’m gonna cum soon. Can I cum in your mouth?”

“Mhm,” Heinwald replied, his mouth still full of dick.

Ranzal thrust himself to the hilt into Heinwald’s mouth, shaking his hips as he came hard down his throat. As Heinwald sputtered, choking on the semen that he had no choice but to swallow, Curran came as well, his jizz splattering onto the door. Heinwald pulled himself off of Ranzal’s dick, wiping his mouth.

“Were you backed up?” Heinwald coughed, “You had a pretty big load.”

“I’m amazed you swallowed it all,” Ranzal praised, “That was pretty hot.”

“I’m still hard myself. Care to help me out?”

“Sure. Want me to blow you too?”

“Actually, can you eat my ass?”

“With pleasure.”

Curran needed to get out of there. If he saw Heinwald like that he’d certainly get hard again, and jerking it to his roommate once was bad enough; Curran would feel extremely guilty doing it twice in a row. He hastily cleaned up his mess, zipping up his pants and running downstairs. Even though the party was still lively, Curran didn’t really feel like dancing or drinking anymore. He felt far too guilty to enjoy himself. Not only did he peep on Heinwald doing something very private, but he got off to it, fapping to Heinwald giving a blow job like he was watching porn. He shook his head and sighed, pulling out his phone.

_“Hein, I’m not feeling great so I’m gonna head home,”_ he wrote, _“Is that ok with you?”_

He didn’t expect a response. After all, Heinwald was probably getting eaten out right about now. Curran headed to the front door, opening it up and walking home. He was good on parties for a while.


	8. Chapter 8

Light creeped in through the cracks between the curtains of the dorm window, making Heinwald wince. He had a fun, but long night the night before. As much as he had hoped to spend the party with Curran, Heinwald unfortunately noticed that he had left prematurely, nothing but a text message notifying him of his departure. He slowly sat up in bed, groggy and sore with a horrible hangover.

“You feeling ok?” a familiar voice asked.

Heinwald rubbed the sleep from his eyes and grabbed his glasses, sliding them on over the bridge of his nose. Even with them, his vision was still slightly blurred, but he could still make out a figure that he would recognize anywhere. It was his roommate, Curran, fully clothed and somewhat distraught.

“Odd for you to wake up before me,” Heinwald yawned.

“Well, I didn’t drink that much last night,” Curran said, “But how about you? You feeling sick?”

“Just a bit hungover…”

“Want me to get you some water?”

“Please.”

Curran picked up Heinwald’s refillable bottle, taking it to the mini fridge and pulling out their filtered water pitcher. He poured the cold, clear liquid into the bottle until it was full, handing it back to Heinwald to drink. Water spilled from the sides of his mouth as Heinwald gulped down the water, trying to rehydrate and kill the throbbing headache that plagued him.

“What time is it by the way?” Heinwald wondered, wiping his mouth and screwing the lid back onto his bottle.

“About 11 AM.” Curran replied.

“Not as late as I thought. I was worried I’d sleep past noon…”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you did. The party was pretty wild after all. Did you have fun last night?”

“I did. I’m surprised you left so soon though. I thought you said you wanted to stay late.”

Guilt punched Curran in his gut, making him avert his eyes from his roommate.

“Well I…” he choked.

Curran felt horrible for what he did, but at the same time, he felt like he needed closure. He needed to apologize for spying, and hope that Heinwald would understand.

“Heinwald,” he sighed, “Can I ask you a bit of a personal question?”

“Define personal,” Heinwald responded.

“Are you gay?”

The room went silent. Heinwald gripped onto his bottle of water, swallowing hard. He was hesitant to answer. Heinwald knew Curran wasn’t homophobic, but he still feared that coming out to him would put a damper on their relationship. Curran would never see him _that_ way, but Heinwald still didn’t want to jeopardize their friendship.

“Why would you think that?” Heinwald asked, playing the fool.

“I don’t mean it as an insult,” Curran assured, “I just… I know I said I’d help you find a girl who makes you happy, but…”

Curran bit his lip. He needed to find a way to go about this tactfully.

“I…” he confessed, “I kinda saw you and Ranzal making out at the party last night.”

Heinwald’s face went bright red. He was busted. There was no way he could hide his sexuality from Curran anymore.

“How much did you see…?” Heinwald fretted.

“Well… quite a bit of it…” Curran confessed, blush tinting his cheeks, “But you don’t need to feel bad about it! It was my fault for peeping…”

Heinwald buried his face in his knees, completely embarrassed.

“You probably think I’m disgusting don’t you…” Heinwald feared.

“What? No, why would I?” Curran asked.

“Most straight guys do when they find out that I’m gay… They think that I’m going to hit on them or jump them…”

“Hein…”

“Why do you think most of my friends are girls? Some of them may just see me as their token ‘gay best friend’ but it’s better than…”

Curran hugged Heinwald tightly.

“I could never think you’re disgusting,” Curran assured, “I don’t care if you’re gay. You’re still my friend.”

“Curran,” Heinwald said.

“So long as I’m around, you don’t need to worry about people tormenting you for just being yourself. You shouldn’t have to live in fear of what others think of you, because I think you’re pretty amazing.”

“That… That really means a lot to me. I think you’re amazing too, Curran.”

Curran blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“You really think so?” Curran said bashfully.

“Of course,” Heinwald assured.

Heinwald wished he could pull Curran close and kiss him, to confess that he liked him; that he was just his type and he wanted to be his boyfriend, but fear stopped him. Curran respected him. He was his friend, an invaluable ally who wanted to make him happy, but he was straight. If Heinwald confessed, he feared he’d be proving a stereotype, and that Curran would be appalled by him. It hurt, but one day he’d get over it.

“Gotta admit, I’m proud of you for getting some action,” Curran praised.

Heinwald snapped back to reality.

“Thanks… I suppose?” he said.

“So are you and Ranzal dating?” Curran wondered, “If he breaks your heart I’ll make sure to give him hell for you.”

Heinwald sighed. Sure, he and Ranzal fooled around a little bit, but they could never be partners. After all, before they started their fun, Heinwald drunkenly lamented to him about how the guy he liked would only ever see him as a friend. Still, Heinwald didn’t want to press against his choice because he had no control over it. Besides, he valued his friendship more than a relationship that probably wasn’t meant to be. It was then that Ranzal suggested he “comfort” him, and Heinwald was too desperate to say no.

“Well isn’t this ironic,” he chuckled.

“How so?” Curran wondered.

“I almost gave you a hard time for hooking up with someone on our first night here, yet here I am doing the exact same thing... Ranzal and I aren’t dating. I was horny, drunk, and desperate and he was close enough to my type and willing to help me out. You must think I’m a hypocrite.”

“Don’t go assuming things Hein. Even if you two aren’t an item, I’m still proud of you for losing your virginity.”

Heinwald swallowed hard. He may have given Ranzal head and Ranzal ate him out afterwards, but even after all that he was still a virgin. Heinwald had only ever fingered himself before, and though he owned a few dildos, he was too scared to use them. Even so, a part of him still wanted to bite the bullet and have his anal cherry popped, but he was just a bit too picky about deciding who would be the one to deflower him.

“We didn’t go all the way,” Heinwald sighed, “Call me a hopeless romantic but I’m saving my virginity for someone I have feelings for.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that!” Curran assured, “Hell, now I’m even more determined to find you a nice partner. So a guy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a tan… I’ll make sure to keep my eyes peeled for you.”

Heinwald blinked in exasperation. He was happy that Curran accepted him in spite of his sexuality, but he couldn’t believe Curran could be so dense. Still, he figured he should at least be grateful that Curran didn’t react like most of his straight former “friends” who showed their true colors after he came out to them. Curran was kind, caring, empathetic. He may be an idiot, but he was an idiot with a heart of gold.

“Thank you, Curran,” Heinwald smiled.

“Do you want to go grab some breakfast?” Curran suggested, “It might help your hangover.”

“That sounds wonderful actually.”

“I think we still have a few hours left for Sunday brunch at the dining commons. Unless you’d rather get something in LV.”

“The dining commons is fine.”

“Perfect. Did you want to get changed or are you fine with going down in your PJs?”

“I might as well get dressed. I shouldn’t be long.”

Curran never used to mind Heinwald changing in front of him. They were both guys and Curran was certain that he was straight. Yet today as Heinwald stripped off his pajamas to change into street clothes, Curran felt different. Maybe seeing the lewder side of Heinwald at the party had opened his eyes, because he was starting to find Heinwald’s body oddly sexy. His slender waist, his vitiligo that covered his skin like a work of art, his wide hips and round ass. It made Curran wonder if he really was straight. Curran shook his head and looked away. He may have found Heinwald attractive, but there was no way they could be together. Heinwald deserved someone better than him. Finally, Heinwald finished changing, grabbing his keys, wallet, phone, and student ID and placing them in his pocket.

“Ok, I’m ready to go,” Heinwald informed.

“Hm?” Curran said, “Oh, ok. Let’s go.”

As they made their usual walk to the dining commons, Curran found his eyes wandering to his roommate beside him. His silver streaked, black hair was a bit on the greasy side today, but it gave it an alluring shine, especially under the lights. It looked perfectly soft and silky too, and Curran desperately wished he could run his fingers through it, to feel those curly locks under his touch. Heinwald’s crimson eyes were quite a sight to behold as well. It was such an uncommon eye color, but Curran could get lost in them, Heinwald’s eyes that shimmered like two bright rubies, hiding behind his round glasses.

_“Shit, was he always this pretty?”_ Curran thought to himself.

The elevator dinged and the door opened to a nearly packed cabin.

“Maybe we should wait for the next one,” Curran suggested.

“We can fit two more,” a voice said from within the elevator.

“Perfect…” Curran sighed.

The pair squeezed into the elevator just before the door closed behind them. As it descended each floor, the students within began to shift, pushing Heinwald even closer to Curran until their bodies were practically touching. Curran’s face went bright red as his hand grazed against Heinwald’s arm. They had held hands before, but he never realized how soft Heinwald’s skin was until now. Curran swallowed hard. This was dangerous.

At long last, the elevator stopped at the ground floor and Curran finally had room to breathe again. He and Heinwald left the elevator, making their way towards the dining commons. As expected, it was pretty busy for Sunday brunch, but they weren’t quite at capacity. The two scanned in with their student IDs, walking into the busy hall. The smells of freshly cooked bacon, of buttered toast, of sweet, delicious breakfast foods filled the air, making Heinwald’s stomach growl.

“I think I’m going to go for the waffle station,” Heinwald said, “What do you think you’re gonna have Curran?”

“I dunno,” Curran replied, “I usually go for an omelet, but I might check out their special today. Whichever one of us grabs our food first can look for a table.”

“Sounds fair enough. I’ll see you in a bit, Curran.”

Heinwald walked over to the self-serve waffle station, looking at their options. Vats of batter sat next to four waffle irons, two of which remained unused. Heinwald figured it best to snag one before someone else beat him to it and he had to wait even longer. He opened up one of the free irons, ladling the thick, sweet batter into the device before closing it and flipping it upside down to cook. A timer for two minutes and thirty seconds appeared on the iron, counting down as the waffle cooked. In the mean time, Heinwald decided to grab himself something to drink. As much as he would like some orange juice, the acid in it would be horrible for his hangover. Instead, he filled a mug with hot water, grabbed a tea bag of green tea instead. The tea slowly began to steep, turning the water an inviting green. By the time the tea had finished steeping, the alarm went off on the timer, and he opened up the iron to see a perfectly golden waffle within, UNA embossed onto it. He grabbed a fork, plucking the waffle from the iron and sliding it onto a plate before piling it high with bananas and whipped cream. Heinwald picked up his plate, looking around for either an empty table or Curran. Fortunately for him, he spotted Curran’s arm raised above the crowd, waving at him to signal that he had found a place for them to sit. Heinwald walked over to the table, placing his food and drink down and sitting in the unoccupied chair across from his roommate.

“Not gonna have any protein Hein?” Curran wondered.

“I thought sugar would do me well,” Heinwald replied.

“Something hearty might be better for a hangover. Like eggs or tomatoes.”

“Bananas have high potassium. I think that should suffice for a curative.”

“Whatever you say.”

Heinwald sliced off a piece of his waffle, taking a bite of the perfectly fluffy on the inside yet crisp on the outside treat. He normally preferred strawberries as a topping over bananas, but the waffle itself wasn’t too sweet, and the natural sweetness of the bananas compensated for it. As he ate, he looked over to Curran’s plate, spotting a standard Alberian breakfast platter: scrambled eggs, buttered toast, potato hash, and link sausages. Curran stuck a fork into one of his sausages, biting it in half and chewing it.

“Looks like the quarter is about half way over,” he chewed, “Man, that sure flew by fast.”

“Are you worried about finals?” Heinwald wondered.

“Nah. With you as my tutor, I got this in the bag.”

“I like the confidence, but don’t think that’s going to stop me from watching you like a hawk while you study.”

“You can be such a Spartan instructor sometimes…”

“But you have to admit that my methods are effective.”

“You’ve got me there.”

As Heinwald continued to pick away at his breakfast, Curran noticed he looked a bit sad.

“Something wrong?” he wondered.

“What?” Heinwald replied, “Oh no, it’s nothing. I’m just dreading the oncoming winter break a bit…”

“Oh yeah… going back to see your old man…”

From what Heinwald had told him, his father wasn’t exactly the most loving parent. He seemed very controlling, and after Curran found out that Heinwald was gay, he could only imagine that his father was one of the many sources of torment for him.

“I was half tempted to stay on campus for the holiday,” Heinwald said, “I might tell my father that I’m just doing independent research that requires me to stay, but I don’t know if he’ll buy it. Besides it’s pretty expensive to stay in the dorms during the winter break, and my father is a bit miserly…”

“How about you come back with me?” Curran suggested, “My folks’ place is pretty close to the university so you can still use the excuse of independent research.”

“Are you sure Curran? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I would love to, but is it ok with your parents?”

“They love you Hein. Especially since I told them that you’re tutoring me. I wouldn’t be surprised if my mom bakes you a batch of cookies or something to thank you.”

“Well, I’ll try talking to my father about it. No guarantees, but I hope he says yes.”

“I’ll keep my fingers crossed too.”

Heinwald stuck his fork into his last piece of his waffle, raising it to his mouth and polishing it off. Curran cleaned his plate as well, and the two stood up from their table, bussing the dishes at the drop off before leaving the dining commons. Heinwald was already starting to feel better from his morning hangover, the bags under his eyes fading away and his expression going from slightly pained to comfortable.

“I don’t have football practice today,” Curran said, “Did you want to go over to Honeycups for a taro boba?”

“Oh, did you want me to tutor you today?” Heinwald asked.

“Well, I wouldn’t mind, but I was just offering cuz I get a free one with my stamp card today. If you’re still feeling out of it, you don’t have to do a session today, but I still might as well get you the free drink.”

“Well, I am still a bit tired from last night. But I’ll take it as payment in advance for your next session.”

“It’s a deal.”

***

Curran waited eagerly as Heinwald talked with his father. It was hard to tell if his suggestion for Heinwald to spend the winter break with him was a go or not, considering most of Heinwald’s part of the conversation after asking the initial question was primarily “I knows” and “Oks.”

“Really?” Heinwald asked, his voice perking up in happiness, “Thank you father. I appreciate it. Tell Gretchen I say hi.”

Heinwald hung up the phone, a smile stretching across his face.

“He said yes,” Heinwald beamed, “Once I said I wouldn’t have to pay to stay over at your parents’ house, he was perfectly fine with it.”

“Is your family tight on money or something?” Curran worried.

“No, my father is extremely wealthy… he’s just a penny-pincher.”

“Damn… guess that explains why he’s so rich. But who was that Gretchen you mentioned at the end?”

“My older sister. She was always very kind to me growing up, so I am a bit sad that I won’t be seeing her for a while, but even her kindness isn’t enough to make me want to spend time with my father…”

“I understand… I’m happy your old man is letting you stay with me, but I wish he were nicer to you.”

“Well, it’s hard to change the mind of a bigoted man who to this day thinks homosexuality is nothing more than a ‘passing trend for the youth.”

“Yikes.”

“Yeah, he isn’t the most pleasant man to be around…”

“Well you don’t need to worry about my pops and mama judging you. They’re both very kind, accepting people.”

“I could tell when I met them both. I’m looking forward to spending the winter holiday with you Curran.”

“I’ll tell my folks the good news.”

“Alright. I think I’m going to take a quick shower. My hair has gotten so greasy, I would hate to show up to class tomorrow like this.”

“Ok. Have a nice shower.”

As Curran texted his parents to let them know that there would be one extra person coming home for the holidays, Heinwald hastily took off his clothes, throwing them in his hamper and slipping into a robe. He grabbed a towel and his rack of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash, heading out the door to their dorm room and over to the communal mens’ showers. As soon as the door to the room closed, Curran’s thoughts began to wander. He was always certain about his sexuality up until now. Back in high school, he only dated girls, and was certain that would always be the case. But if it were someone like Heinwald, someone so smart, passionate, and surprisingly sexy, Curran could see himself with another man. He kept on thinking about what he saw at the party yesterday; how Heinwald so eagerly sucked on Ranzal’s dick, how badly he wanted that to be him.

His dick hardened just thinking about it. He wondered what Heinwald would be like in bed; how his moans would sound, what kind of expressions he’d make, how sensitive he would be to every single touch and stroke. Curran’s imagination went wild, his pants becoming all too tight as he pictured Heinwald’s naked body writhing in pleasure underneath him.

“Fuck…” he hissed.

Heinwald wouldn’t be back for fifteen minutes or so, and Curran desperately didn’t want Heinwald to see him with a raging hard on. He unzipped his pants, wrapping his hand around his dick as he began to stroke himself off. Curran tried to picture a girl giving him a handjob, maybe even Ramona, the girl he slept with on his first night at UNA, but every time he closed his eyes, he would only see Heinwald. He hastened the pace of his strokes, his breath growing ragged. Curran promised to find Heinwald a man who would treat him well, a man who deserved him. He wished desperately it could be him, but doing this, jacking off twice to Heinwald, his friend, just cemented in Curran’s mind that Heinwald was too good for him. Curran bit his lip, tipping over the edge as he came all over his fist. He looked shamefully at his jizz-coated hand, sighing and shaking his head.

“Your future boyfriend is gonna be the luckiest guy in the world, Heinwald,” he said to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry I just love the trope of two people pining for each other but they're both too scared to confess because neither think their feelings are mutual.


	9. Chapter 9

Curran scratched his head, his gaze shifting back and forth from the clock on the wall to the paper in front of him. Time had flown by so quickly, and it was already finals week of the fall quarter. Thanks to Heinwald’s help, he was going into this test with a B- in the class, but if he did poorly on this final, all of his aid would have been for naught. He was given three hours to write two, five paragraph essays that compared and contrasted themes from the works they had covered in the class. Due to the time constraint it obviously wouldn’t be graded as harshly as the take home essay assignments, but it would still be quite a challenge. Curran’s writing skills had vastly improved from his first paper, but he still clung to the comfort of having Heinwald look over his work and give feedback before submitting it. Now he was on his own, and he had to trust that he had learned enough to do well.

“One hour left,” Dr. Persopolous announced.

Curran bit his lip. He had just finished up the first essay, but still had another one to write, and only had an hour to do so. He looked over his prompt options once more, trying to decide the second one out of the four that he would write on. He ultimately chose the third one: “Compare and contrast the themes of imperialism and colonization in at least two of the works we have covered in the class.” The first passing paper he wrote for the class was a criticism of imperialism in _Heart of Darkness_ , and he recalled how another work they covered, Chinua Achebe’s _Things Fall Apart,_ discussed the horrors of imperialism near the end. He could probably work with that. Curran clicked his pen, pressing it onto the paper of his bluebook. With the time constraint, he was worried that he’d be rehashing too many ideas from his original papers, but he had no other choice. If he didn’t finish his paper, it would put a huge dent in the grade on his final. He thought back to his tutoring sessions with Heinwald, thinking about the themes they discussed, the topics they delved into.

His mind began to wander, his thoughts going from the discussion sessions with Heinwald to other topics they talked about. The two of them had gotten really close in their first quarter as roommates. They studied together, they ate together, they went to parties and game nights together. The two of them might as well have been joined at the hip, and Curran didn’t mind in the slightest.

“45 minutes left,” the professor announced.

“Shit…” Curran cursed to himself.

He didn’t realize just how much he had spaced out. Hastily, Curran began jotting down sentences. He didn’t even know if it was coherent enough or not, but he just needed to get something on the paper. Curran wrote all the way down to the wire, finally finishing up as soon as the professor called time. He wiped the sweat from his brow, packing up his bags and bringing his bluebook up to his TA. It would be a while before it was graded, but Curran was content. He finished up his last final of his first quarter of college.

“Thank you all for your hard work,” Dr. Persopolous announced, “You were a wonderful class and I hope to see some of you in my upper division classes later on. I hope you all have a wonderful winter break. Merry Dragonyule, Happy Light Festival, and Happy New Year to you all.”

Curran walked out of the lecture hall, heading back to his dorm room. All of Heinwald’s finals were near the beginning of the week, but since he was going home with Curran for the winter break, he stayed an extra few days. Curran opened up the door to their room, walking inside to see Heinwald packing up his belongings to take back on their trip. Curran didn’t need to pack much since he still had tons of clothes at home. He really only needed to pack up his laptop and phone charger.

“How was your English final?” Heinwald wondered, folding up some clothes and placing them in his suitcase.

“It went alright,” Curran replied, “Had to rush my second paper, but I think I did ok.”

“Well I hope everything went well for you.”

“My folks should be here around lunchtime tomorrow. You wanna hit up LV and see if anyone’s throwing a party?”

“I wouldn’t mind just getting something for dinner. But you can go ahead and go to a party if you want.”

“Nah, I wanna spend some time with you. If you’re not in the mood for a party, we don’t gotta go to one. What are you in the mood for?”

“Zodi Bowls sounds good to me.”

“That does sound pretty good. Let me just grab a jacket then we can head out.”

Curran reached into his closet, pulling out a coat and slipping his arms into it. He buttoned it up, straightening out the fabric and turned to Heinwald.

“You ready to go?” Curran asked.

“Sure. I’m starving,” Heinwald replied.

***

Curran checked off the list as he and Heinwald tidied up the room and prepared to lock it up for the holiday. Curran’s father helped carry Heinwald’s suitcase downstairs as Heinwald unplugged the fridge and closed up the blinds. It was winter break, and Heinwald was looking forward to spending this time off with Curran.

“All electronics unplugged, fridge defrosted, windows locked, blinds closed,” Curran read off the list, “Think we got almost everything. Just gotta lock up the door and sign off that everything is done. You got everything, Hein?”

“I handed my last bag off to your father,” Heinwald replied, “I think everything is good to go.”

“Ok. Can I get your autograph on here then?”

Heinwald took the sign off form from Curran, initialing next to each of the check marks and signing his name. He handed it back to Curran, who did the same before hanging it on their door. Heinwald turned off the lights as the two left their dorm room until next year, Curran locking it up so the belongings that remained inside would stay safe during the break. They headed downstairs, meeting up with Curran’s parents, Serge and Clara Diaz, out front.

“We missed you so much sweetie,” Clara cooed, pulling him into a hug and kissing him on the cheeks, “Did you two boys have a fun first quarter?”

“Yeah it was a blast!” Curran replied.

Curran’s father, Serge, opened up the door to the back seat, allowing Curran and Heinwald to climb in and buckle up.

“Should be home in about an hour or so,” Serge said, “You boys hungry? Want to stop at a drive through on the way home?”

“We’re fine Pops,” Curran replied, “Hein and I grabbed a late breakfast from the dining commons.”

“Thank you for having me, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz,” Heinwald said politely.

“We’re always happy to have friends of Curran over,” Clara beamed, “Especially since you were kind enough to tutor him this quarter. Serge and I can’t thank you enough for helping him out.”

“It was nothing,” Heinwald assured, “Curran is actually pretty clever when he puts the effort in.”

“Any music you’d like to listen to, Heinwald?” Serge asked, turning on the radio.

“I’m fine with anything,” Heinwald replied.

“Ok then,” he smiled, “Just kick back and relax and we’ll be home in no time.”

Heinwald looked out the window, watching the scenery pass as they drove away from UNA. He felt Curran’s fingers intertwine with his own, and turned from the window to notice Curran smirking at him. Heinwald’s heart fluttered. Even if he and Curran were only friends, even if Curran was straight, Heinwald still enjoyed small, intimate things like this.

“So Curran, did you make any lady friends?” Serge chuckled.

“Not yet, but maybe next year,” Curran said, “My first priority is finding someone for Hei-“

Curran felt Heinwald squeeze on his hand. Heinwald leaned in close, whispering in Curran’s ear.

“Please don’t tell your parents that I’m gay,” he whispered, “I don’t want them thinking less of me.”

“Hein,” Curran replied, “They don’t think that way.”

“Still I would appreciate it if you didn’t. Please, Curran?”

“Got it.”

Curran and Heinwald continued to make small talk with Curran’s parents as they continued the drive home, making the trip go by far quicker. Soon they pulled off the freeway and into a small suburb. The car rolled past shopping malls, restaurants, grocery stores. Residential districts and cul-de-sacs were dispersed throughout the area and Serge turned the corner into a quaint neighborhood. They parked in front of a small, brick house with a shingled roof. It wasn’t the nicest home on the block for sure, but it had somewhat of a cozy charm to it.

“Well here we are,” Curran said.

Curran helped Heinwald out of the car, walking up to the front door with his parents. His dad opened up the door, showing his family plus Heinwald inside. The interior was decorated with an alpine style, along with pictures of Curran from his shining moments in life: his high school graduation photo, pictures of him and his old football teams, and of course a few family photos. A television was mounted to the wall and a comfortable couch and loveseat were arranged on the carpeted floor of the living room so people could sit and watch.

“Make yourself comfortable,” Serge said.

“Curran told me that you like sweet things, Heinwald,” Clara smiled, heading over to the kitchen, “Would you like me to bake some cookies for you?”

“How kind of you,” Heinwald replied, “I would love some.”

“Are you allergic to anything?”

“Just cats, and I doubt you’ll be baking with them.”

Clara chuckled.

“I’ll make you boys some chocolate chip cookies then,” she beamed.

“Sweet,” Curran smiled, “My mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies.”

“I look forward to trying them,” Heinwald said.

“We don’t have a guest room,” Serge informed, “But the love seat in the living room unfolds into a bed.”

“He can sleep with me pops,” Curran interjected, “My bed is big enough to fit the two of us.”

Heinwald blushed. He didn’t know if his heart could take sleeping in the same bed as Curran. Heinwald knew Curran probably thought nothing of it, that he was simply expressing his trust as a friend, but at the same time Heinwald relished the thought of being able to sleep so close to Curran, to breathe in his scent that clung to the sheets and share his warmth under the same blanket.

“Wanna come back to my room with me?” Curran suggested, “I’ve got some video games we can play in there if you’re interested.”

“Sure,” Heinwald replied, “What games do you have?”

Curran guided Heinwald to his bedroom, a sign that said “Do Not Enter: Curran’s Room” hung on it. He opened up the door to reveal a room that was even smaller than their dorm room. Posters of rock bands and football teams were hung up on his walls, and a queen size bed sat in the middle, pushed against the wall between the two windows. A television, smaller than the one in the living room but still a decent size, sat on a stand and several video game consoles stood next to it, plugged into the television with game boxes littered next to it. Curran sat down on his bed, happy to be home with his family and have his friend with him.

“So, any game you want to play?” Curran asked.

“What are the options?” Heinwald wondered.

“For ones we can play together, I’ve got Smash, Mario Kart, Mario Party…”

“I would love to kick your ass at Mario Kart.”

“You sound confident.”

“It’s because I am.”

“Well, how about you put your mouth where your money is.”

Curran grabbed two controllers, handing one off to Heinwald and turning on his Switch. He pulled out the case for Mario Kart, removing the cartridge and putting it in the console for them to play. Curran clicked on the icon with his controller, redirecting from the home page to the title screen for Mario Kart.

“So which map do you want to race on?” Curran asked.

“Rainbow Road,” Heinwald said enthusiastically, “We die like men.”

“Seriously? The hardest map in the game?”

“I enjoy a challenge.”

“Well, if you say so.”

Curran set up their game, selecting their course and characters to play with. The rest of the “racers” would just be AI filling the open spots, but they wouldn’t be much of a challenge. Curran chose Bowser as his racer while Heinwald opted for Waluigi, each then customizing their carts to fit the parameters they desired.

“Hein,” Curran suggested, “You wanna make things a bit more interesting?”

“Ho?” Heinwald wondered, his brow raising in intrigue, “How so?”

“I’m thinking a bet. Loser has to do one thing the winner asks of them.”

Heinwald smirked.

“I hope you’re looking forward to the favor I have in store for you Curran,” Heinwald scoffed.

“Heh,” Curran chuckled back, “We’ll see who’s laughing in the end when I come in first place.”

The pair gripped at their controllers, starting up the race. The screen panned across the space station themed course, stopping at the lineup of racers. A countdown appeared on the screen. The game was about to begin. With a 3, 2, 1, Curran, Heinwald and the AI racers were off, zooming across the course. Curran was never fond of this map due to how easy it was to fall off the edges, and he had to focus extra hard considering his competition. Heinwald maneuvered his character skillfully, drifting across the course and through the power ups. He was already in first place, but Curran was in a close second.

The two drove through the floating item boxes, a roulette of various power ups appearing above their character icons. Curran got the short end of the stick, ending up with a single banana peel. Still, if he placed it properly it could throw Heinwald off course later. He dropped the item, leaving it for his unsuspecting competition. However, as soon as he utilized his boon, a white squid, Blooper, floated across his screen, black ink splattering and obscuring his view of the course.

“Son of a bitch…” Curran cursed.

“Try your best, Curran,” Heinwald snickered.

Curran tried as he could to drive while half of the screen was covered in ink. He only had to bear with the handicap for a few seconds, and then he would be able to catch up with Heinwald unimpeded. Just as the debuff was about to fade, Curran found himself skidding across the course, flying off the side of the road. There must have been some sort of trap hiding in an area obscured by the ink.

“Shit!” he hissed.

“I thought this would be a challenge, Curran,” Heinwald teased, “You’re making this way too easy for me.”

“You just got lucky with your first item… Once I get a blue shell it’s all over for you.”

“Oh no, I’m _terrified._ ”

Curran gritted his teeth. With that setback, he had gone from second to fifth place. He knew that Heinwald wasn’t the kind of guy to ask something cruel of him if he won, but Curran was determined to win. He already knew just what he would ask of Heinwald, and that was more than enough to motivate him. Heinwald too seemed to know what he wanted for a reward as well, and that seemed to fuel him too.

_“Once I win…”_ both thought, _“I’ll ask him to kiss me.”_

As Curran focused on regaining his former position, Heinwald had already passed the checkpoint to start his second lap, only increasing the distance between their two characters. Curran slowly but surely started gaining on Heinwald, zooming past Peach, Yoshi, and Donkey Kong to find himself in second place once more. He flew through another item box, watching in anticipation as the roulette scrolled through its options. His eyes lit up as soon as it stopped, and an expression of fear soured Heinwald’s face.

“Curran…” Heinwald begged, “Curran, we can talk about this…”

“You inked me last time,” Curran laughed, “You’ll take your blue shell and like it!”

Heinwald cringed as a spikey, blue, Koopa shell floated around his character’s head. He spiraled out of control, coming to a dead stop. At least he didn’t fall off the edge, but he could only watch in horror as Curran zoomed past him, lapping him at the checkpoint to start his third and final lap.

“I hate you Curran,” Heinwald hissed.

“You’re such a baby,” Curran teased, “Where’s that confidence from before? You gonna let one little blue shell stop you?”

“It was a minor annoyance. Nothing more. Besides, you needed some hope for me to crush when I beat you.”

Heinwald’s character finally regained his ability to move, and he gassed it down the course, desperately trying to catch back up. He and Curran had left so much of a distance between them and the AI that it was basically a battle for first and second place at this point. Heinwald only hoped that he would get lucky with his next item box, or that Curran would slip up somehow. He zoomed through the last item of the course, hoping for something good, something that would propel him into first place. The gods of Mario Kart must have heard his prayers, and the roulette stopped at the “Bullet Bill” icon. He happily activated it, turning Waluigi into a speeding bullet. Though it was a bit harder to control than the cart, Heinwald was able to zoom past Curran, reclaiming first place, albeit not by much. The two were neck and neck, and the finish line was fast approaching. They leaned closer to the screen, almost as if it would help them go faster, watching the first and second place icons switch back and forth between them. At long last, the two crossed the finish line. It was a photo finish, but in the end, Heinwald was victorious.

“You put up quite the fight,” Heinwald said.

“That was a close one, but you earned it Hein,” Curran laughed, “What is it you want me to do for you? I’m a man of my word. Just ask me anything and I’ll try my best to do it for you.”

Heinwald’s heart skipped a beat. Of course he had kissed other guys; hell, he had _made out_ with other guys, but he felt that even a chaste little peck on his lips would send him flying if it was from Curran. He may be a bit dumb and dense, but Curran had stolen Heinwald’s heart. Still, Heinwald didn’t even know if his feelings would ever be reciprocated. Heinwald could hope that Curran was bi or pan, but he seemed pretty straight. This may be his only opportunity to get a kiss from him.

“Curran,” he swallowed hard, “I want you to give me a…”

Before Heinwald could finish his proposal, the door to Curran’s room opened, and his mother walked in with a plate full of freshly baked cookies. They still looked warm, and the smell of melting chocolate chips made Heinwald salivate.

“I finished up the first batch,” Clara beamed, “I hope you like them Heinwald.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Diaz,” Heinwald smiled, “I’m sure I will.”

“Thanks Mama,” Curran added.

He was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t finish what he was about to say, but the cookies looked too delicious to pass up. They were thick and soft, with tons of chocolate chips still oozing from their pockets. Heinwald lifted one up to his mouth, taking a bite of it. It was crunchy on the outside, yet the still warm inside melted in his mouth. It was sweet, moist, delicious; the best chocolate chip cookie he had ever had.

“This is amazing,” Heinwald praised, “It’s so moist.”

“I know right?” Curran beamed, “It’s my mom’s secret recipe. Only shares it with members of our family.”

“She does an amazing job. I hope you don’t mind if I help myself to them.”

“She made them for you, so I don’t see why not.”

“Then don’t mind if I do.”

Heinwald finished off his first cookie, reaching for a second one. Just as he was about to take a bite, Curran cut him off.

“Wait,” Curran remembered, “The bet. What was it you wanted to ask of me? Before my mom interrupted us.”

“Oh,” Heinwald blushed, “I…”

He took a bite of his second cookie, ruminating on his initial request as he chewed. As much as he wanted to ask Curran for a kiss, he felt guilty if he did so. The kiss wouldn’t be out of love, it would be out of an obligation. What would be the point of a kiss if there was no feeling behind it?

“I was going to ask you for something to drink,” he fibbed, “I’m completely parched.”

“Oh…” Curran replied, somewhat disappointed, “What do you want? Water? Soda?”

“Maybe some milk… to go with the cookies.”

“Oh, ok. Well, I guess I’ll be right back then.”

Curran set down his controller and headed into the kitchen. As soon as he left the room, Heinwald buried his face in his knees, immediately regretting his decision.

“I’m such a damn fool,” he sighed.

***

Curran tossed and turned in the middle of the night. It was nice to be home with his parents, and even nicer to have Heinwald here with him, but something still didn’t feel right. He turned over in bed, facing Heinwald’s slumbering form next to him. Heinwald was fast asleep, completely relaxed, completely at peace. Curran brushed Heinwald’s long, silver bangs from his face, careful not to wake him. He stared at his face, his gently closed eyes, his soft looking lips. Heinwald looked so beautiful right now. Curran’s eyes widened as Heinwald pulled him in close, snuggling up against his broad chest. His skin was so soft, comfortably warm against Curran’s own.

“Curran…” Heinwald mumbled in his sleep.

Curran’s face grew hot. Heinwald was so close to him. It felt perfectly intimate. It felt right. Curran wrapped his arms around Heinwald, cuddling him back. He ran his fingers through Heinwald’s silky curls, twirling the soft strands. Curran couldn’t stop staring at him, and his lips were tantalizingly close. He closed his eyes and puckered his lips, leaning closer to Heinwald’s face. Heinwald was far too cute, and Curran desperately wanted to kiss him. He stopped mere centimeters away from his face, leaning back into his pillow and sighing.

“I can’t…” he mumbled to himself.

As much as he wanted to kiss him, Curran didn’t feel right doing so without Heinwald’s permission. He was fast asleep. Heinwald wouldn’t even know if Curran kissed him or not, but Curran couldn’t bring himself to do it. Heinwald deserved a boyfriend who loved him, who would spoil him and treat him with the respect he deserved. If Curran kissed him now, violating his trust, it would even further cement that Heinwald was too good for him. He let go of Heinwald, turning away from him. Curran closed his eyes, trying desperately to get some sleep, yet his heartbeat wouldn’t calm down at all. Then again, even if he did manage to fall asleep, who wasn’t to say he wouldn’t dream about Heinwald. He sighed, resting a hand atop his forehead.

“Heinwald…” he whispered, “I don’t know what’s going on with me anymore…”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HOPE U DEGENERATES LIKE HAND HOLDING

Heinwald opened his eyes, the smell of bacon frying in the kitchen rousing him from his slumber. He blushed, noticing that he had inadvertently snuggled up to Curran in the middle of the night, as his cheek was resting against Curran’s broad chest. No wonder he felt so comfortably warm last night. He hoped that Curran didn’t notice, or if he did, didn’t mind it. Heinwald grabbed his glasses from Curran’s nightstand, putting them on before walking out into the kitchen. Both of Curran’s parents were wide-awake and dressed, Serge reading the newspaper while Clara cooked breakfast on the stovetop.

“Mornin’ Heinwald,” Serge beamed, “Did you sleep well last night.”

“I slept fine,” Heinwald replied, stifling a yawn.

“Would you like some coffee?” he offered, “I just brewed a pot. Mugs are in the cabinet. You can help yourself. ”

“Thank you very much.”

Heinwald walked over to the coffee pot, sitting full beside the kitchen sink. He reached into the cabinet above, pulling out a colorful mug and filling it halfway with the rich, brown brew. Heinwald was a bit on the picky side when it came to coffee; well, snobbish was more like it. He would only drink it black if it was a very high quality blend, otherwise he’d have to flood it with milk and sugar for him to palate it. Curiously, he took a small sip, his nose scrunching as he swallowed.

“Milk and sugar it is,” he said to himself.

Heinwald headed over to Curran’s mother, who was hard at work preparing breakfast for them all.

“Good morning Mrs. Diaz,” he greeted, “Do you have any milk and sugar I could use?”

“Sugar is in the pantry and milk is in the refrigerator, sweetie,” she responded.

“Breakfast smells wonderful,” Heinwald praised, inhaling deeply to take in the delectable, savory scents.

“It should be ready any minute. By the way, when you’re done fixing your coffee, can you be a dear and go wake up Curran? I’m sure you probably know how easily he sleeps in.”

“Of course.”

Heinwald opened up the fridge, pulling out a carton of milk. He poured the white liquid into his mug, turning the transparent brown coffee a slightly opaque tan. Heinwald opened up the pantry, taking out a packet of sugar before tearing it open and pouring it in with his drink.

“Do you need a spoon or a stirrer?” Clara offered.

“That would be helpful,” Heinwald laughed

Clara pulled open a drawer of silverware, handing a small, stirring spoon over to Heinwald. He dipped the spoon into his coffee, stirring until the sugar was dissolved. Heinwald raised the mug to his lips, taking a sip of the modified drink.

“Much better,” he smiled.

With cup in hand, he walked back to Curran’s room, opening the door and setting his coffee down on the nightstand. He sat down on the bed, resting his hand on Curran’s shoulder and shaking him gently to wake him up.

“What time is it?” he grumbled.

“Around 9 AM,” Heinwald replied, “Your mother is almost done with breakfast, so she sent me to wake you.”

“How long have you been up?”

“I just got up myself.”

“Breakfast is ready boys!” Clara shouted from the kitchen.

“Well, guess there goes my hope for asking for five more minutes,” Curran sighed.

“Do you want a sip of my coffee?” Heinwald offered, “It might help you wake up a bit.”

Heinwald handed him the warm mug, and Curran took a large gulp. His face contorted as he handed it back to Heinwald.

“A bit too sweet for my taste,” he coughed, “I’ll just get my own.”

“Fair enough,” Heinwald nodded, taking the mug back.

Curran threw the covers off, crawling out of bed and rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He followed Heinwald out to the kitchen, where his mother was plating up platters of fried eggs on toast with bacon.

“Help yourselves boys,” she insisted, “I made plenty.”

The two each took a plate and some silverware, carrying their meals to the adjoining dining room and sitting at the table. As soon as they sat down, Curran began digging into his breakfast, while Heinwald waited patiently for Curran’s parents to join them.

“Curran,” Clara scolded, “We haven’t even said grace yet…”

“Oh, sorry mama,” Curran swallowed, setting down his already half eaten piece of toast.

Clara and Serge set down their plates, clasping their hands together as they each said a prayer. Curran reluctantly did the same, but Heinwald simply sat and waited. He wasn’t an atheist, but Heinwald wasn’t exactly religious either. As soon as they all finished praying, Curran continued where he left off while Heinwald picked up a piece of bacon from his own plate, biting into the perfectly crunchy piece.

“Thank you for breakfast,” Heinwald smiled, “It tastes delicious.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Clara beamed, “By the way, Heinwald; do you celebrate Dragonyule?”

“I do,” Heinwald replied, “Why do you ask?”

“Ah that’s good to know,” Clara sighed in relief, “Curran never told us what your religion was, so we held off on decorating prematurely in case you wanted to decorate the house with us.”

“How thoughtful,” Heinwald replied, “I would be happy to help.”

“Serge is going to do the outside lights today and I’ll try to set up the tree this afternoon, so it might be a while before we need any help,” Clara informed.

“Hey, Pops,” Curran interjected, “Could I actually borrow the truck? I figure if Hein and I are going to be waiting around to decorate the tree with you guys, I might as well take him to the mall or something.”

“That’s a great idea,” Serge responded, “We’ve got a pretty nice mall in the area. I’m sure it’s all decked out for Dragonyule too.”

“What say you Hein?” Curran asked, “You want to go?”

“Sure,” he replied, “It sounds like fun.”

“Great! We can leave after breakfast,” Curran beamed.

The four continued eating, cleaning their plates before moving them over to the kitchen sink to be washed. Heinwald rolled up the sleeves of his pajamas, prepared to help Clara out with the dishes, but was stopped before he could get to the sink.

“Leave the dishes to me sweetie,” she insisted, “You and Curran go have fun.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Diaz,” he replied.

Heinwald made his way back to Curran’s room, closing the door behind him so he and Curran could have some privacy while they changed. He pulled a fresh change of clothes from his bag, slipping into a pair of slacks and a navy blue turtleneck sweater. Meanwhile Curran fished through his haphazardly organized dresser, pulling out a pair of jeans and a tee shirt for him to wear. As soon as they had gotten changed, they left Curran’s room. Curran grabbed the keys to the truck from his father, and after a few hugs and “see you laters,” the two walked out the front door and over to the car. Heinwald sat down in the passenger seat, buckling up while Curran turned the key, making the car’s engine purr as the vehicle started up.

Curran spun the steering wheel, backing out of their spot and driving out of the neighborhood. The mall was only a short drive away, yet half of their trip time seemed to be looking for a parking space. It looked like everyone was doing their last minute shopping right before the holiday. After circling the lot a few times, a space finally opened near their car, and Curran immediately flipped on his turn signal, claiming the spot and parking. Curran twisted the key to turn the car off, and the two unbuckled, disembarking the truck as Curran locked it up.

“Well, here we are,” Curran said.

Heinwald’s vision panned across the expanse of the shopping mall. For a mall located in such a small suburb, it was surprisingly large. It was filled with restaurants, department stores, bookstores, and even a movie theatre. Curran grabbed onto his hand, showing him past the main entryway and into the plaza. As expected, the place was covered from head to toe in Dragonyule decorations. Lights, wreaths, and ornaments hung from the levels, and a large Yuletree stood proud in the center. A man dressed as Saint Starfall sat in a chair in front of the tree, and parents brought their young children to sit on his lap, tell him what they wanted for Dragonyule, and snap a quick photo for posterity.

“You wanna go sit on Saint Starfall’s lap Hein?” Curran teased.

“I’ll pass. I’m not into older men,” Heinwald retorted, chuckling at his own joke.

Curran laughed, “Is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go? Any stores you like?”

“You know the area better than me. Lead and I will follow.”

Curran rubbed his chin, trying to figure out what to show Heinwald first. Suddenly, he remembered something, a special feature of the mall that always popped up just in time for Dragonyule.

“I’ve got it,” he smiled, “Come with me Hein. If there are any stores you want to look in along the way, just let me know and we can stop there first.”

“Ok,” Heinwald responded, letting Curran drag him by his hand through the mall.

He looked around at the various shops they passed, yet nothing seemed to really catch his eye. They walked past the food court, heading into an outdoor area. Heinwald stopped in his tracks when he finally saw what Curran was leading him to. An outdoor ice-skating rink had been set up, and people of all ages were making use of it.

“You wanna go ice skating?” Curran suggested, “They set this up every year and it’s only $10 per person.”

“I would,” Heinwald sighed, “But I don’t know how to ice skate.”

“If you’re worried about falling, I can hold your hand. I’ve done this ever since I was a little kid.”

Heinwald swallowed hard. Being able to hold Curran’s hand and having the excuse to hang onto him so he wouldn’t fall was a good enough reason to try it. Still, he worried that he’d end up falling and making a fool of himself, but at least Curran would be there to help him back up.

“Ok, I’ll do it,” Heinwald conceded.

“Awesome!” Curran beamed, “Let’s get in line.”

They queued up into the line leading to the rink, standing, waiting, and talking as parties were admitted to skate. Finally, they made it to the front of the line, where a boy with long, blue hair was handing out ice skates to customers.

“For two?” he asked.

“Yup,” Curran responded.

“That’ll be $20.”

Heinwald fished a ten-dollar bill out of his wallet, handing it off to Curran to pay for himself. Curran grabbed two five-dollar bills from his pocket, handing the sum to the employee running the rink.

“What are your shoe sizes?” he asked.

“Eleven for me,” Curran said.

“Nine,” Heinwald added.

The blue haired boy walked over to the boxes of skates, pulling out two pairs of their respective sizes and handing them to Curran and Heinwald.

“Make sure to lace them nice and tight,” he said, “Enjoy the rink!”

The two walked over to a sitting area between the rink and the line, swapping out their shoes for ice skates. Heinwald wobbled as he stood up. Balancing on such a thin blade was quite a challenge for someone like him, as he was never really the athletic type. Curran extended his hand for Heinwald to grab onto, smiling as he helped Heinwald regain his balance. Carefully, the two walked over to the rink, opening the gate and stepping onto the ice. Heinwald gripped onto Curran’s palm tightly. His balance was ok at the moment, but they were just standing still. They hadn’t even started skating.

“Don’t be nervous Hein,” Curran assured, “It’s fun!”

Heinwald yelped as Curran started skating, pulling him along behind him. He didn’t dare move his feet, figuring it would be better to just let Curran guide him around than attempting to try on his own and falling.

“Aren’t you going to try skating yourself?” Curran asked.

“I’m fine like this,” Heinwald replied.

“Come on Hein. Just do what I’m doing. And if you’re really that worried, I promise I won’t let go of your hand.”

“You promise?”

“Of course. Now just let the ice glide under your feet.”

Heinwald took a deep breath, still clinging onto Curran’s hand for dear life. He slid one of his feet forward, trying to mimic what Curran and the other skaters were doing, but he could already feel his balance wavering. His feet scrambled, and he slipped, landing in Curran’s arms.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got you,” Curran assured.

Heinwald’s face went red. He was a bit embarrassed that he slipped up like that, but Curran catching him made his heart skip a beat. He wished that he could stay like this in Curran’s arms, but other patrons were starting to stare, and it was rude for him to just stand on the ice without moving. Hesitantly, he pushed himself off of Curran, closing his eyes and concentrating as he tried skating once more. The second attempt went a lot better than the first, and although he still had to hold onto Curran’s hand as a safety blanket, Heinwald was at least keeping up with him and skating on his own.

“See, you’re getting the hang of it,” Curran praised.

“Don’t you dare let go of my hand…” Heinwald said through gritted teeth.

“Wouldn’t even think of it,” Curran chuckled.

As they skated around the rink, Heinwald started to become more comfortable on the ice. His grip on Curran’s hand loosened, yet he still held on, not to prevent himself from falling, but to stay close to Curran and enjoy this moment with him. This was nice. Skating with Curran, having fun with Curran, going out and enjoying the town with Curran; it almost felt like a date.

“Hein, hit the breaks!” Curran shouted, pulling Heinwald from his fantasy.

Heinwald snapped back to reality, but not before he found himself colliding with the person in front of them, knocking them both onto the ice.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” she snapped.

“I’m terribly sorry,” Heinwald apologized, trying to stand up on his own, “It was an accident.”

“It’s his first time ice skating,” Curran explained to the woman as she stood up, “Maybe I should have taught him how to stop first… You aren’t hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine,” she huffed, “But keep a closer eye on your boyfriend. If he accidentally bumped into a kid, you’d probably have to deal with a very angry suburban mom…”

The two froze, Heinwald clutching onto Curran’s hand.

_“Boyfriend?”_ Heinwald thought, his cheeks staining pink with blush.

He expected Curran to immediately correct her. To shoot down that they weren’t dating and that they were just friends. Yet to his surprise, Curran looked just as flustered as he did, returning the squeeze on Heinwald’s hand.

“We’ll try to be more careful next time,” Curran said, “Hein, I think we still have five minutes or so left to skate. You wanna stay or are you good?”

“I…” Heinwald stammered, his heart still beating out of his chest from a complete stranger assuming that he and Curran were dating, “I’m actually a bit thirsty. Can we stop by Quetzal’s Pretzels for some lemonade?”

“Whatever you want.”

Curran helped Heinwald skate back to the entrance, careful not to bump into and knock over anyone else. They closed the gate behind them, moving back to the sitting area, changing back into their shoes, and placing their skates into a holding crate. Even though they were on solid ground instead of ice, Heinwald still wanted to hold onto Curran’s hand, curling his fingers against Curran’s palm.

“Did you have fun?” Curran asked.

“Yeah, I did,” Heinwald replied, “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you… I just found myself lost in thought and I didn’t even notice the lady in front of us…”

“I wasn’t embarrassed. Besides, no one was hurt in the end, so it’s not like it was a big deal.”

“I suppose…”

“You don’t gotta stress yourself out over it, Hein. It was just an accident. Come on, didn’t you say you were thirsty? How ‘bout we go get you that lemonade you wanted?”

Heinwald sighed, nodding his head. It was initially just an excuse to escape the awkward situation, but now that he thought about it, he wouldn’t mind some lemonade.

“Ok,” he smirked.

***

The sun began to set as the two walked back to the car. Each carried a bag in their hand, gifts for Dragonyule nestled under the packing tissue. Curran pulled the key out of his pocket, unlocking the door before climbing inside and starting up the car. Heinwald loaded up their goodies in the back seat, taking shotgun soon after.

“Mama said dinner will be ready when we get home,” Curran said, backing the car out of the parking spot, “Then we can decorate the Yuletree afterwards. Hope you didn’t fill up on that cinnamon pretzel.”

“I have a separate stomach for sweets,” Heinwald replied.

“I’m amazed how you can stay so skinny.”

“I figure I should enjoy my high metabolism while it lasts.”

“Fair enough.”

As the two drove home, something seemed different. They were passing landmarks and streets that Heinwald didn’t remember seeing on the way there.

“Curran,” he asked, “Are we going the right way?”

“We’re just taking a bit of a detour,” Curran informed.

“Didn’t you say your mother had dinner waiting for us?”

“I said she’ll have it ready when we get home. I took this detour into account for it.”

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Heinwald looked out the window, watching the buildings make way for trees. The car ascended a hill, turning onto a dirt road that led to the peak. It made Heinwald feel a bit carsick from the bumpy ride, but he bore with it, figuring Curran was clearly taking him somewhere special. The car came to a halt at the top of the hill. Heinwald’s jaw dropped. He could see the entire city from here, and the view of the sunset was absolutely breathtaking.

“Oh wow,” Heinwald gaped.

“This is the best place to watch the sunset from,” Curran said, “I used to take girls up here all the time back in high school.”

“It certainly is beautiful.”

As Heinwald watched the sunset, Curran found his gaze transfixed on the man sitting next to him. The warm light of dusk illuminated Heinwald’s crimson eyes, and a soft glow seemed to emanate from his skin and hair.

“Yeah,” Curran sighed wistfully, “You sure are…”

“What was that?” Heinwald wondered.

“Um… the sunset… It sure is beautiful…”

A pause. Curran could feel his heart beating in his throat. He mentioned to Heinwald that he used to take girls up to this spot in high school, but left a crucial part out. This site was aptly nicknamed “Lover’s Cliff,” as many couples often came by it to watch the sunset together, make out, or occasionally… make love. He swallowed hard. Curran had intended to bring Heinwald up here for the view, yet Curran couldn’t care less about the sunset, especially when someone whose beauty outshone it was sitting next to him.

“Hey Hein,” he choked, “Can I… I have a bit of a confession to make…”

Heinwald blushed, “Oh? What is it?”

Curran grabbed onto Heinwald’s hand, averting his gaze so Heinwald wouldn’t notice how flustered he was.

“I think I…” he started, “I think I might be bisexual…”

“Really?” Heinwald replied, a smirk stretching across his face.

“Yeah I, uh… I’ve been thinking about it for a while… but I wasn’t really sure about it until recently…”

“Is there a guy you have feelings for?”

“Yeah.”

Heinwald’s heart raced. If Curran was bi, then there really was hope that he could be his boyfriend someday.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Heinwald wondered, “Who is it?”

“Well…” Curran stammered, “He’s…”

Curran’s words stuck in his throat. This was way harder than he thought it would be. He may not have a silver tongue, but he never had a hard time confessing to girls before. Yet for some reason, whenever he thought about confessing to Heinwald, asking him out on a date, asking if they could be boyfriends, he froze in fear.

“You don’t have to tell me if it’s too personal,” Heinwald assured melancholically, “I understand how difficult it is to come out. You’re very brave, Curran.”

“I just thought you’d be the best person to come out to,” Curran said, “I mean… you already went through it yourself. Besides, I feel so close to you that I know you wouldn’t judge me for finally realizing my sexuality.”

“I’m glad…”

Heinwald squeezed Curran’s hand. He was happy that Curran trusted him so much, but at the same time, he felt guilty. Coming out was always an important moment in any LGBT person’s life, yet Heinwald seemed more concerned with who it was that made Curran realize he was bi, hoping desperately that it was him. He wanted to be with Curran. This setting was so romantic, he wouldn’t mind if Curran just kissed him right then and there, but there was a time and place for everything, and he didn’t want to detract from Curran’s moment. As the sun set, Curran and Heinwald didn’t say another word to each other, both two scared to break the silence. Suddenly, Curran’s phone rang, and the caller ID was his mother.

“Guess my mom is getting worried about us,” Curran said, “We should probably head home.”

“I understand…” Heinwald sighed.

“Hein…”

“Hm?”

“Thanks for being here for me. I’m really lucky to have you in my life.”

“I… I’ll always be there for you to confide in. Thank you for trusting me, Curran. I… I feel the same with you.”


	11. Chapter 11

Clara pulled a fresh sheet of sugar cookies from the oven, their sweet aroma wafting through the kitchen. She picked up her spatula, scraping the cookies from their tin sheet and onto a cooling rack. Once they were completely cooled, she’d get to frosting them, but figured it would do no harm to let her taste testers try one while they were still warm. She pulled out a plate, arranging a few of her baked goods on it before walking out to the living room. Her son and his friend were sitting next to each other on the couch, Curran watching Dragonyule specials on the television while Heinwald read a book.

“Curran, Heinwald,” Clara called, “Would you boys like to try some shortbread?”

“Gladly,” Heinwald replied, dog earring his book.

The warm, golden brown cookies smelled of vanilla, of Dragonyule. They were shaped like yuletrees, snowmen, snowflakes, and other Dragonyule motifs. Heinwald picked one of the smaller, star shaped confections from the plate, popping it in his mouth and chewing happily. The sweet cookie crumbled in his mouth. It had a soft sandy texture, yet with enough crunch for an interesting mouthfeel.

“It’s delicious,” Heinwald praised, “Thank you, Mrs. Diaz.”

“I’m glad dear,” she replied, “You and Curran can help yourselves. I’ll have the rest of the batch frosted in a bit.”

“Thank you.”

“Would you actually like to help frost them? Curran always used to love decorating Dragonyule cookies with me when he was younger.”

“Mama,” Curran blushed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I wouldn’t mind helping,” Heinwald said, “Though I wouldn’t want to impose upon your Dragonyule traditions.”

“You’re not imposing Hein,” Curran assured, “And hell, if you wanna decorate cookies, I’ll join you.”

“They should be cool enough to frost in about ten minutes or so. Then once they’re done I’ll get started on Dragonyule dinner,” Clara informed, “By the way Curran, what kind of cake do you want for tomorrow?”

“Chocolate with peanut butter frosting,” Curran replied.

Heinwald rubbed his chin. Why Curran’s mother would be baking Curran a cake for the day after Dragonyule? Suddenly the realization hit him.

“Wait, Curran,” he said, “Is tomorrow your birthday?”

“Yeah, did I not tell you?” Curran said, “My mom always likes to tell everyone that I was her favorite Dragonyule present. I just came a day late.”

“Shoot, and all of the stores are probably closed today too… Had I known I would have gotten you a birthday present…”

“You don’t have to worry about it. I’m used to joint birthday and Dragonyule presents. Besides, you being here to celebrate with me is a present enough.”

Heinwald blushed. He had fond memories of Dragonyule as a child, but once he hit his teenage years and came out as gay, the holiday seemed to lose all of its magic. It went from a day of giving and love to yet another day his father would lecture him for being such a disappointment and refusing to even look at him at the dinner table, let alone give him anything as a present. Yet being with Curran and his parents seemed to rekindle that flame of joy from his early childhood, when his family actually felt like a family and his father wasn’t as cruel to him.

“Actually boys,” Clara shouted from the kitchen, “I think the first batch is ready to frost. Do you want to come and decorate them with me?”

“Of course,” Heinwald replied.

The pair stood up from the couch, walking over to the kitchen island, where Clara had set up a cookie decoration station. A plethora of decoration options were organized ergonomically on the countertop; fluffy buttercream of all of the colors of the rainbow, stuffed into piping bags, peppermint candies, vibrant sprinkles, edible glitter. It really seemed like Clara enjoyed going all out when decorating Dragonyule cookies. The cookies themselves were stacked on the cooling rack, and an empty Tupperware container sat on the other side of the station, waiting for finished cookies to be placed within.

Clara picked up the piping bag filled with green buttercream, beginning to pipe leaves onto a cookie shaped like a yuletree. Heinwald followed her lead, taking the white piping bag and beginning to decorate a snowman. His motions were very precise, tracing the outline of the cookie with the icing to make a barrier before flooding the interior. Curran on the other hand was a bit more haphazard in his decorating, simply squeezing out a huge dollop of frosting onto his cookie before spreading it with a knife and coating it in sprinkles. It would all taste the same in the end, but Heinwald wanted to make his look nice. He carefully plucked out two black sprinkles for the snowman’s eyes and used three cinnamon candies to make buttons along its torso. Carefully, he piped an orange carrot nose onto the snowman’s face before reaching for a sour belt candy, splitting it in half and hanging it along the snowman’s neck to make a scarf.

“Oh how adorable!” Clara beamed, “Good job, Heinwald.”

“Wow, that does look pretty cute,” Curran praised.

“Thank you,” Heinwald smiled, “Do you want it Curran? I can make another one.”

“Really? It almost looks too good to eat,” Curran replied, “But if you’re offering, I’ll gladly take it.”

Curran took the cookie from Heinwald, biting off the snowman’s head. A smile spread across his lips as he chewed, and white buttercream smudged across his upper lip.

“Tastes just as good as it looks,” Curran grinned, “Thanks Hein.”

“Curran,” Heinwald chuckled, gesturing to his upper lip, “You missed your mouth a bit.”

Curran wiped his mouth with his hand, smudging off the fluffy buttercream.

“Sorry about that,” Curran laughed.

The three continued feverishly decorating their cookies, filling the once empty Tupperware container with colorful confections. Heinwald put the finishing touches on the last cookie, setting it in the container for Clara to seal up and put until the fridge for later tonight.

“Well, I should probably get started on the roast so it’s done by 7,” she said, “I’ll call you boys back in when dinner is ready.”

“Sounds good to me mama,” Curran replied, “Hein, is there anything you want to do in the meantime?”

“Would you like to go play some Smash?” Heinwald suggested, “I would love to destroy you with my Ridley.”

“Ok, you know what? You’re on!”

***

Curran beamed at the vast display set out on the dining room table for Dragonyule dinner. Roasted prime rib, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, candied yams and cranberry sauce; all the hearty, warm delicacies of Dragonyule. Even the plates and silverware were different from what they normally used, as Clara had brought out her finest porcelain to dine on. This was the first Dragonyule that they had company at since Curran’s grandparents passed away several years ago, so no doubt Clara considered it a special occasion. The four sat down at the table, passing around the side dishes family style to portion out onto their plates. Meanwhile, Serge picked up a carving knife and two pronged fork, beginning to slice into the juicy roast of meat.

“Heinwald, is medium rare ok with you?” Serge asked, “That’s normally how we like our steak, but I think the end pieces might be a little more well done if that’s more to your taste.”

“Medium rare is perfect, thank you,” Heinwald replied.

“How big of a slice do you want?”

“Just a small one is fine.”

Serge carved off a slice of the roast, its perfectly rendered fat making the juicy, pink interior glisten. Even though Heinwald had asked for a small piece, Serge had given him at least nine ounces worth. Still it was small in comparison to the piece Curran had, which looked like it was easily over a pound. Curran was a football player and needed to eat a lot of protein, but to Heinwald, Curran’s plate had more on it that what Heinwald would eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner combined. As per family tradition, Curran, Serge, and Clara bowed their heads and clasped their hands together to say a prayer before eating. Heinwald had gotten used to it in the few days he had been here, and even though they were very religious, the Diaz’s were still kind and open-minded people.

As soon as he finished his prayer, Curran immediately began digging into his Dragonyule dinner. He drowned his mashed potatoes in gravy and spooned some au jus onto his already tender and juicy cut of steak. Knife in hand, he sliced off a large piece of the prime rib, gladly lifting it to his mouth and chewing it with relish.

“Great job on the prime rib Mama,” Curran praised, swallowing his mouthful of beef before dipping his spoon into the fluffy mashed potatoes.

Heinwald wasn’t as much of a red meat fan as Curran, but even he couldn’t resist the siren’s call of the roast’s savory aroma. He sliced off a small piece and locked his lips around it, the rich juices flooding his mouth as he chewed.

“This is wonderful,” Heinwald smiled, “Thank you again for having me.”

“You’re always welcome to come over any time, Heinwald,” Clara assured, “You’re such a kind and polite boy. It’s a pleasure to have you here.”

Heinwald smirked bashfully. He couldn’t remember the last time he had heard such praise or kindness from his own father. Curran’s parents may not have a big house or a lot of money, but that didn’t matter. They were hospitable, understanding, accepting. He might very well have to take them up on their offer in the future; after being spoiled with such kindness, he dreaded the thought of having to go back to his cruel father when summer break eventually rolled around.

Heinwald picked away at his dinner. It was delicious, but he couldn’t eat as fast as Curran or Serge. He almost felt guilty making them wait, as he wasn’t even halfway done with his first plate yet Curran was already piling more food onto his second. Then again, it was nice being able to sit at a table with good food and good company, talking, laughing, and having fun. For so many years, his table at home had been silent. Gretchen would always try to talk to him about positive, happy topics, yet his father always seemed to interject and sour the mood. He seemed to have a talent for turning anything that gave Heinwald joy into a lecture on why he was such a failure as a son. Heinwald shook his head, trying not to mull on bad memories of his father. After all, he had no reason to be sad when he was with Curran.

Soon enough, the four finished eating, and as Clara pulled the Tupperware container of cookies out of the refrigerator, Curran, Heinwald, and Serge headed into the living room, sitting down on the couch and loveseat by the yuletree to open presents. Clara joined them, setting the container on the coffee table and taking off the lid. As Heinwald took a cookie to snack on, Serge began passing around the presents, and much to Heinwald’s surprise, he received two of them. They were wrapped in beautiful, shimmering foils with large bows tied on top. A few presents still remained under the tree, which Heinwald assumed were birthday presents for Curran to open tomorrow,

“Well, how about we start opening these bad boys up?” Serge suggested.

“Let me get the camera first,” Clara said, frantically running back to the master bedroom to grab a small, digital camera.

As soon as she returned, she held it up to her eye, looking through the viewfinder as she snapped photos of her husband, son, and son’s friend holding their presents.

“Curran, Heinwald, get in closer,” she urged.

Heinwald scooted closer to Curran on the couch, and Curran threw his arm over his shoulder.

“Smile!” Clara beamed.

The two grinned as Clara snapped the photo, the flash making Heinwald’s sensitive eyes blur. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes until the irritation subsided, sliding them back on right after.

“Are we good to start opening presents Mama, or did you want more pictures for the scrapbook?” Curran asked.

“I’ll probably take some more while you’re opening them,” she said, “So go ahead.”

Curran eagerly tore into his first present, ripping off the foil to reveal a new video game that he had wanted. Heinwald didn’t know if Clara wanted to save the bow and foil or not, so he unwrapped his presents with a bit more care, making sure that the wrapping could be reused. The first of his two was a gift from Curran’s parents. It was a medium sized, dense rectangular package. He removed the wrapping to reveal a large book with an intricately designed spine and cover. The sides of the pages were dyed silver and a ribbon hung from within as a built in bookmark.

“ _The Complete Works of HP Lovecraft,_ ” Heinwald read aloud.

“Curran told us that you love to read,” Clara said, “I hope you like it.”

“I love it. Psychological horror is one of my favorite literary genres. Thank you so much, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz.”

“You’re welcome dear,” Clara beamed.

He moved onto his second and final present, his gift from Curran. It was smaller than the first one, and rattled when he shook it. He gently untied the bow and peeled off the foil to reveal a small box that looked like it was from an antique store. As soon as Heinwald removed the lid, a smile spread across his face. Inside was a beautiful, brass pocket watch, embossed with rococo designs. The face of the watch was a gorgeous pearl color, and the needle ticked past the black roman numerals of each hour.

“Do you like it?” Curran asked.

“Curran…” Heinwald said, “It’s perfect. I love it.”

Heinwald hugged him tightly. This gift was exactly his taste, and he was happy that Curran got him something so thoughtful. He pulled away from the hug, looking from Curran’s smiling face to the watch to the still wrapped present that he had bought for Curran. Curran noticed him staring at the gift, holding it up and picking away at the foil wrapping.

“Should I open up your present now?” Curran asked.

“Go ahead,” Heinwald replied.

Curran opened up the present, tearing away at the wrapping to find a bottle of cologne. He opened up the box, uncorking the bottle and spraying a bit on his wrist. It was a crisp, earthy smell, like balsam, sandalwood, eucalyptus.

“I like this smell,” Curran said, “Thanks a bunch Hein.”

“I’m glad you like it,” Heinwald replied.

“I think I’m gonna wear this on our next da-“

Curran cut himself off. He almost said “our next date.”

“D-“ he stammered, “Day off! On our next day off.”

“Oh umm…” Heinwald twiddled his thumbs, “Ok.”

“Did you want to smell it?”

“What?”

“The cologne.”

“Oh, well… I already smelled it when I bought it for you, but I suppose…”

Curran held his wrist out to Heinwald’s face, making Heinwald’s cheeks go red. Heinwald took a whiff of the cologne, the woodsy scent of the spray seeming to smell even better as it mingled with Curran’s natural scent.

“It’s nice,” Heinwald blushed, “It smells good on you.”

“Thanks for getting it for me,” Curran replied.

“Was that the last one?” Clara asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Curran said, looking at the sea of foil scraps and ribbons strewn across the floor.

“You had quite a good Dragonyule haul this year, huh Curran,” Serge chuckled, “Anyway, do you boys want to watch a Dragonyule movie? I have _Styxes_ on bluray.”

“Does _Styxes_ even count as a Dragonyule movie?” Heinwald whispered to Curran.

“Well, I mean it does take place at Dragonyule time,” Curran said, “Yeah dad, we’ll watch it with you.”

“I’ll leave the cookies out for you all to snack on,” Clara smiled, cleaning up the debris from the present unwrapping session and taking it to the kitchen trashcan.

“Headin’ to bed already Clara?” Serge asked.

“After I do some dishes,” Clara yawned.

“Mmk sweetie, I’ll see you in the morning,” Serge replied, standing up from the loveseat to kiss his wife, “Now how ‘bout we start up that movie, boys?”

“Sounds good pops,” Curran said.

Serge headed over to the DVD stand under the television, scanning his collection of movies before plucking out the movie they’d be watching. On the cover was an adorable, fluffy, blue and white dragon with the shadow of a Styx behind it. He opened up the case, popping the DVD into the player. Serge sat back down on the loveseat, selecting the “play” option from the main menu with his remote. As soon as the movie started, Curran chuckled, noticing his dad was already starting to fall asleep on the loveseat.

“Classic pops,” he snickered, “Hey Hein, if you don’t want to watch the movie, we don’t have to.”

“I’m fine with it,” Heinwald replied.

Curran hung his arm over Heinwald’s shoulder, pulling him closer. Heinwald snuggled up to him, resting his head in the crook of Curran’s neck as they watched the movie. It had a few funny moments at times, but overall, the movie had aged like milk. Its jokes and references were decades dated, and the special effects looked extremely unrealistic in comparison to modern CGI and puppetry. Yet for some reason, Heinwald enjoyed watching it, probably thanks to the fact that he was cuddling with Curran while doing so.

“This movie sucks,” Curran laughed.

“Yeah, it’s terrible,” Heinwald chuckled.

Curran turned away from the television screen, his gaze meeting with Heinwald. Those beautiful, crimson eyes looked even more radiant under the low lighting of the yuletree. Heinwald seemed just as entranced as he did, ignoring the movie to stare lovingly at Curran instead.

“Hein…” Curran said.

“Hm?” Heinwald wondered.

“Well um… You remember how back when we were at the mall, and that lady thought you were my boyfriend?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Yeah… that was… yeah…”

Heinwald looked down dejectedly.

“So you were embarrassed back then…” he sighed.

“No! No I wasn’t!” Curran assured, “I just… Hein, you know I’ve been thinking… How crazy would that be? If we started dating…”

A pause.

“You know if you asked me out, I wouldn’t say no…” Heinwald said

Save for the cackling of Styxes on the television screen, the room went silent. Blush spread across both Curran and Heinwald’s faces, flustered, but in a state of pleasant surprise. Now what? Heinwald had thrown the ball into Curran’s court by saying that he would date him, but what would happen if Curran got cold feet, or worse, what if Curran was just joking about them potentially dating? Heinwald felt his heart jump into his throat as Curran grabbed his hand. He looked completely serious, completely sincere. Heinwald took a deep breath, closing his eyes.

“Do you want to go out with me?” both asked each other at the same time.

The two smiled, their pleased expressions turning into laughter, then into catharsis.

“Wait a minute, Hein you were interested in me?” Curran asked.

“I’m surprised you didn’t notice sooner,” Heinwald chuckled, “Blond hair, blue eyes, a tan. Curran, who does that description fit?”

“Oh,” Curran realized, “You were talking about me…”

“No shit Sherlock.”

“I’m just… wow, I’m just surprised is all… I thought you were too good for me.”

“Well until recently, I thought you were straight.”

“But Hein, are you serious? Do you want to go out with me?”

“Yeah. I’d love to.”

“Hein!”

Curran pulled him in close, completely overjoyed. He caressed Heinwald’s cheek, brushing the silver bangs from his eyes and stroking his soft skin.

“God you’re so pretty,” Curran praised.

“Do you really think so?” Heinwald blushed.

“I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t think it.”

Heinwald relaxed into Curran’s gentle touch, his heart still pounding from excitement. His face was so tantalizingly close. If Curran came any closer, they would be…

“Hein,” Curran said.

“What is it?” Heinwald wondered.

“Can I kiss you? I mean, if it’s too sudden, then…”

Heinwald leaned in, pressing his lips against Curran’s. His lips were just as warm and soft as Curran had imagined. Curran closed his eyes, running his fingers through Heinwald’s silky hair as he deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue past Heinwald’s lips. Heinwald mewled, feeling Curran practically pull him onto his lap. He didn’t mind making out on the couch with Curran; Heinwald was ecstatic to finally be kissing the guy he had a crush on for months, but Curran’s father’s snoring did kill the mood a bit.

“Maybe we should move this back to your bedroom,” Heinwald whispered.

“Wait,” Curran swallowed hard, his pants feeling tighter, “Did you want to… you know…”

“If it’s ok with you, can we just stick to kissing for now? I think I’d need to mentally and physically prepare myself a bit before we do… that…”

“Oh…”

“You’re not disappointed, right?”

“No, no. We go at your pace, Heinwald.”

“Well I… I only want to take it slow because I’m serious about you. I really like you Curran.”

“I… I really like you too Heinwald.”

The end credits of the movie rolled across the television screen, and almost like clockwork Curran’s dad stirred awake. Heinwald and Curran immediately straightened up, trying to make it look like they hadn’t been making out with each other just moments ago.

“Ah, dammit, did I sleep through the movie again?” he grumbled.

“I’m afraid you did pops,” Curran chuckled.

“Bah, sorry boys… Didn’t mean to be such a party pooper,” Serge groaned, “Did you enjoy the movie though?”

“Yeah,” Heinwald replied, holding on tightly to Curran’s hand, “We did.”

“Well, I think I’m gonna hit the hay,” Serge yawned, “You boys wanna stay up or do you think you’re gonna call it for the night too?”

“I think Hein and I are gonna go to bed,” Curran replied, looking at Heinwald lovingly.

“Well, goodnight boys. I’ll see ya in the mornin’,” Serge said.

“Goodnight pops,” Curran responded.

“Goodnight Mr. Diaz,” Heinwald added.

Serge headed back to the master bedroom to join Clara, leaving Curran and Heinwald alone. Curran kissed Heinwald gently on the tip of his nose.

“Well, guess we should turn in too,” Curran said.

“I suppose,” Heinwald flushed, “But one more thing.”

Heinwald gave Curran one more intimate kiss on the lips. It was far more chaste, and quicker than their others, but it still made Curran’s heart skip a beat.

“An early birthday gift,” Heinwald said, “I know it’s not much but…”

Curran returned the kiss happily, giving him a gentle, assuring squeeze on his shoulder.

“Best birthday present I’ve ever gotten,” Curran smiled, “Now come on Hein. Let’s go to bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was hoping to get the chapter out sooner, but I got into a bad funk earlier this week where I was questioning my skills as a writer. I'm feeling much better now and have regained some of my confidence, but I wouldn't be able to do this without your support. Thank you all for reading my works and I hope you enjoy future chapters to come!


	12. Chapter 12

Curran inhaled deeply as he felt a soft hand resting on his shoulder, gently waking him from his sleep. He opened his eyes, seeing Heinwald sitting next to him with a tray of food in hand.

“Happy Birthday Curran,” Heinwald said.

“Breakfast in bed?” Curran replied, slightly groggy, but still happy, “I’m gonna have to ask you to go out with me more often.”

“Your mother was already planning this for you, I just decided to get up early to help out.”

“You’re the best Hein. I can’t wait to try some of your cooking.”

“Well… I mostly helped with prep work. Loathe to admit, I am a dreadful cook…”

“You still helped make it though. Thank you, Heinwald.”

Curran kissed Heinwald gently on the cheek before looking down to his plate of food. It was a beautiful display of stuffed peppers with sunny side up eggs and chives sitting atop them. Curran cut into one of them, the golden yolk spilling onto the seasoned rice and spiced sausage crumbles within. He lifted his forkful to his mouth, savoring the tender and flavorful bite.

“It’s good,” Curran said, “Thank you Hein.”

“I just hollowed out the peppers and seasoned the rice. Everything else was your mother’s doing.”

“Well, I still appreciate it. By the way Hein, when’s your birthday?”

“It’s quite a ways away, May 18th.”

“Then it gives me plenty of time to think of a gift for you. Did you already eat breakfast Hein, or did you want some of mine?”

“I’m fine. I already had one earlier.”

As Curran continued eating, Heinwald twiddled his thumbs. His heart still pounded in his chest from last night, when Curran had agreed to go out with him.

“So,” he said, “Did you or your parents have anything planned for your birthday? A party? Dinner?”

“I think my mom is just gonna make dinner for us,” Curran said, “Ranzal was gonna throw me a belated birthday party once we got back up to UNA, so I told my parents that we didn’t need to invite anyone else over. And of course, you’re invited to the party too, Hein.”

“Oh… Sounds great…”

“Did you not have a good time at the Halloween party?”

“No, I had fun. The music just hurt my ears a bit…”

Curran squinted, setting his plate aside. Heinwald was avoiding his gaze and biting his lower lip. Even though they had only been roommates since September, Curran had gotten pretty good at reading Heinwald’s body language. He had a gut feeling Heinwald was just using that as an excuse.

“Hein,” he said sincerely, “You don’t have to hide your real reason from me. I trust you, and I hope you’ll trust me too.”

“Well, if I am being honest,” Heinwald confessed, “I’m worried that you’ll be ridiculed if we come there as a couple. I know Ranzal won’t care since he’s bi too, but I’m not so certain about his other frat brothers… I don’t care what they think of me; I’m used to it… but if they harass you then…”

Curran cut him off mid-sentence with a kiss, as if assuring Heinwald that everything would be ok.

“Hein, no one in Ranzal’s frat will make fun of me for bringing the guy I’m dating along to a party,” Curran assuaged, “Ranzal tells me they always hang a pride flag at their frat every June; said that even the straight members of the frat were always happy to support their LGBT brothers.”

“Well, that’s a bit comforting… But you won’t be embarrassed, right?”

Curran stroked Heinwald’s hair gently, peppering kisses across his face.

“Hell, it’s the opposite,” Curran said, “I’m gonna brag to everyone about how lucky I am to be dating the cutest…”

Kiss.

“Smartest…”

Kiss.

“Most amazing guy at UNA.”

“Curran, you’re going to make me blush,” Heinwald smirked.

Suddenly, Curran came up with an idea. Sure, the two had agreed to start dating just last night, but who said they had to wait until they returned from winter holiday to go out? They still had a few more days of vacation left; days where they wouldn’t have to worry about studying for exams or writing papers. They should take advantage of it.

“Say Hein,” Curran said, “Wanna go on a date today?”

“Today?” Heinwald flushed, “Are you sure? If I had known I would have packed something nicer to wear.”

“You look cute in everything to me, but if you want to hold off until the New Year, I’m fine with waiting.”

Heinwald balled his fists. He would be ecstatic to go on a date with Curran, but at the same time he felt nervous… and a bit guilty.

“I wouldn’t want to get in the way of you spending time with your parents…” Heinwald sighed, “And well… this would also be my first date…”

Curran’s eyes bulged. He thought for sure Heinwald had at least gone out with a guy in high school, especially after seeing what Heinwald and Ranzal did at the Halloween party.

“You’re kidding,” Curran replied, shocked, “You’ve never been on a date before?”

“My high school was a relatively conservative one,” Heinwald said, “Of course I wasn’t the only gay student there, but most of us were closeted so we wouldn’t get beat up or made fun of by our peers. The closest thing I had to a date was taking a lesbian friend of mine to prom. She couldn’t take her girlfriend, so we figured we might as well be each others’ beards.”

“Now I really want to take you out and give you a great first date. You deserve one, Hein.”

“But will your parents be ok with it?”

“Well how about we go ask them? Unless you don’t want me to tell them that we’re dating. I can understand that you’re worried about them judging you, but I assure you they won’t. Still, if you don’t want me to tell them…”

“You can tell them now. If we’re dating, I don’t think it would be right to hide it from them.”

“Ok. How about we go break the news to them?”

Curran ate the last bite of his breakfast before picking up his plate and heading into the kitchen with Heinwald. His father was sitting on the couch in the living room while his mother cleaned the dishes.

“Happy Birthday Curran!” Clara beamed, “Did you enjoy you breakfast?”

“It was great mama,” he replied, handing her his plate, “But there’s something Hein and I wanted to talk to you and Pops about. Can you come out to the living room with me?”

She set down her sponge and dish, “Sure thing.”

Clara followed the two out into the living room, sitting next to Serge on the couch while Curran and Heinwald took the loveseat. Heinwald gripped Curran’s hand tightly, his palms sweating from nerves.

“So what was it you boys wanted to talk about?” Serge asked.

“Well Pops,” Curran started, “I’m gonna get straight to the point. You guys know I’ve never been the type to beat around the bush, so I’m just gonna come out and say it. I’m bisexual.”

Serge smiled, a bellowing laugh coming from his lips. Heinwald looked down in disappointment. Even when Curran assured him that his parents would be accepting, he still had a feeling they’d react with laughter; not like he wasn’t used to such reactions upon coming out, or worse…

“Just like your old man,” he smiled, “Welcome to the club, sport. I’m proud of you for being brave enough to come out.”

Heinwald’s eyes lit up. Curran’s dad was bisexual too?

“But that’s not all Pops,” Curran added, “Heinwald and I have decided that we want to start going out with each other, but you see, he’s always been a bit nervous about being judged for his sexuality. You guys don’t disapprove of him, right?”

“Why would we?” Clara assured, “He’s a kind boy, and we owe him for tutoring you during your first quarter. Besides, if you care for him and he feels the same for you, what room would we have to judge him for it? Serge and I are so happy for you boys!”

Tears pricked at the corner of Heinwald’s eyes. Curran’s parents accepted him, approved of him. They didn’t think he was disgusting, they didn’t hate him for dating their son; they were actually _happy_ for him.

“Hein,” Curran said, holding him close, “Why are you crying? Don’t be sad. My parents like you.”

“These are happy tears, Curran,” Heinwald assured, “Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Diaz. You have no idea how much your approval means to me.”

“You never had to worry about us not approving of you, Heinwald,” Serge assured, “You make our son happy and you’ve been a great influence on him, especially in his studies. Clara and I couldn’t be happier with the partner he’s chosen.”

“So, now we get to the other thing I wanted to ask you guys,” Curran interjected, “Can I take Heinwald out on a date today? We’ll be back in time for dinner, I promise.”

“It’s your birthday, Curran” Clara said, “If you two want to go on a date today, go ahead.”

“Really?” Curran beamed, “Thank you so much! You’re the best.”

He gave his parents a hug, urging Heinwald to join in the group hug as well. Heinwald hesitated at first, but yelped as he felt Serge’s strong arm pull him in. This kindness and warmth was so foreign to him, but Heinwald wasn’t opposed to it. He enjoyed moments like this, this semblance of what it was like to live with a loving family. As soon as they separated, Curran dragged Heinwald back to his room, changing out of his pajamas and into street clothes, as Heinwald did the same, Curran looked over to him, entranced by his beauty. Heinwald caught Curran’s gaze out of the corner of his eyes, both blushing. It wasn’t that Curran was staring to make Heinwald uncomfortable, he just found it hard to look away whenever he changed, especially now that they were dating.

“So,” Curran cleared his throat, trying to diffuse the situation, “Where do you want to go for our date, Hein?”

“You can choose Curran,” Heinwald replied, “It’s your birthday after all.”

Curran raised his hand to his chin, rubbing his goatee in thought.

“Hmm…” he pondered, “Does a movie sound ok to you Hein? There is this one in theaters I’ve been wanting to see for a while. We can go get some lunch and see a matinee.”

“Ok,” Heinwald replied, “That sounds good to me.”

Heinwald slipped into a pair of slacks, bending down to pull a folded, violet chemise and gray vest from his suitcase. Curran tried not to stare, but it almost seemed like Heinwald was teasing him as he dressed. He never really noticed before, but in spite of Heinwald having an overall svelte figure, his butt was surprisingly round and toned. The well-fitted slacks he was wearing only seemed to accentuate his alluring figure, and as he slid his vest over his buttoned up shirt, Heinwald seemed to gain an air of elegance.

“Thought you said you didn’t bring anything nice to wear,” Curran said, “You look amazing.”

Heinwald grabbed a hairtie, pulling his curly locks into a low ponytail.

“This is normally what I wear under my peacoat,” Heinwald informed.

“Man I’m glad I convinced you to ditch that thing,” Curran smiled, “Why hide your amazing body under a coat that’s three sizes larger than you?”

“Curran, my body isn’t that great. Ideally I’d like to bulk up a bit more like you.”

“You don’t need to. You’re plenty beautiful already.”

Heinwald blushed as Curran kissed him chastely. He honestly wouldn’t mind just spending the day huddled close to Curran, kissing and enjoying each others’ warmth and company, but he feared that doing so would make him come off as too coquettish.

“But you know what would make you look even hotter?” Curran suggested, his hands trailing down to Heinwald’s wrists.

He unbuttoned the cuffs of Heinwald’s shirt, rolling the sleeves up to his elbow. Though Heinwald was still a bit insecure about his skin condition, Curran thought it was just one more thing about Heinwald that made him so uniquely attractive, and loved when he showed it off.

“That’s more like it,” Curran praised, “Let me check the show times for the movie real quick.”

Curran pulled out his phone, googling the times for the movie he wanted to go see.

“Well, there’s one at 10 AM and the movie is about two hours long,” Curran said, “So we could get lunch afterwards. Or would you prefer to get lunch before and go at a later time. There’s also one at 3:30, so we could see it and still be home in time for dinner.”

“Is the movie theater we’re going to the one at the local mall?” Heinwald asked.

“Yeah. Why? Would you rather go somewhere else?”

“No, I was just thinking that if we went to an earlier show, we’d have more time to enjoy the mall itself afterwards. I had such a good time with you when we went before. That is, unless you wanted to go for the later show.”

“You make a good point. But if we’re gonna go see the 10 AM show, we should probably head out now. I don’t want the tickets to sell out before we get there.”

“Understandable. Then shall we go?”

“Sure. Let’s head out.”

Curran took Heinwald’s hand, leading him out of the bedroom and towards the front door.

“Pops, can we borrow the truck?” Curran asked, “Hein and I are gonna go see a movie.”

“Sure thing,” Serge shouted, tossing the keys to Curran, “Have fun on your date!”

“We’ll be back sometime in the afternoon,” Curran assured, “Don’t worry, we won’t be late for dinner.”

“I hope not,” Clara said, “I’m making mushroom risotto, your favorite.”

“Wouldn’t want to miss out on that!” Curran beamed, “See you guys later.”

Curran opened the front door, showing Heinwald out and closing and locking the door behind him. He pushed the unlock button on the car key, making the truck beep and the door’s locks click open. Heinwald climbed into the passenger seat while Curran settled himself behind the wheel, turning the key in the ignition to start the car and begin their trip over to the mall once more; this time as a date.

“So mushroom risotto is your favorite food?” Heinwald asked, “I would have certainly thought it was steak.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I love red meat,” Curran replied, “But it’s a comfort from my early childhood. My mom has the best recipe for it.”

“Well she is quite the talented chef. I look forward to trying it.”

They drove down the familiar path to the mall, this time parking in the lot to the south of the main entrance, as it would be a shorter walk to the movie theater. A stark contrast to when they had come before, the lot was nearly empty. Then again, it was the day after Dragonyule, so unless people were making returns on gifts that didn’t fit or wanted to take advantage of post-holiday sales, there wasn’t much reason to come to the mall today. Curran pulled into a parking spot near the front of the lot, parking and turning off the car. As Heinwald stepped out, he noticed that this particular wing of the mall had far more restaurants than apparel shops. As expected, there was a Dragonbucks coffee on the upper rung, but there was also a Lazy Kamuy Café, a Peng F Lai’s, and even a few hamburger and sushi restaurants.

“After the movie, maybe want to go to Lazy Kamuy’s for lunch?” Curran suggested, “They have a movie date deal with the theater where either you can get discounts on your tickets by showing them your receipt or a free appetizer if you give them your ticket stubs.”

“Sure,” Heinwald replied.

They crossed the street from the parking lot to the mall, taking the escalator up to the movie theater on the upper level. There was a bit of a line, but nothing too terrible.

“What movie are we seeing Curran?” Heinwald asked, trying to kill time as the line inched forward.

“The new _Captain Alberia_ ,” Curran replied, “As long as that’s alright with you.”

Heinwald wasn’t the biggest fan of superhero movies. He was more of a horror or mystery kind of guy, but it was Curran’s birthday. It would be rude of him to suggest something else, especially when Curran seemed so eager to see it.

“That’s fine,” Heinwald said, “Though I hate to admit I’m not that familiar with the series.”

“I’ll give you a rundown on what’s happened so far before the movie starts,” Curran responded eagerly.

“Next in line!” the ticket vendor shouted.

“Looks like we’re up,” Curran smiled as they walked up to the ticket booth, “Two tickets for _Captain Alberia: The War of Binding._ ”

“That’ll be $27.38,” the vendor replied.

As Curran began to pull out his wallet to pay the vendor, Heinwald stopped him.

“Curran, it’s your birthday. Let me pay for it,” Heinwald insisted.

“It’s fine,” Curran assured, “My dad always told me to pay whenever I’m taking someone out. It’s the polite thing to do.”

“At least let me pay for lunch afterwards. I’d feel bad if you paid for everything.”

“But the lunch bill might end up being more expensive than this… How about we go Dutch? Is that ok with you?”

“That’s perfectly fine.”

Curran handed his card to the vendor to pay, while Heinwald fished $14 out of his wallet to reimburse Curran for his own ticket. The tickets printed out, and the vendor handed them two tickets for the film.

“Enjoy the movie,” he said, “Next in line.”

The two cleared the way for the next patron and headed inside the theater, where an usher ripped off their stubs for admission and directed them to the theater that would be screening _Captain Alberia_. Curran looked over to the concessions stand, the savory smell of buttered popcorn beckoning him over.

“Hein,” he suggested, “Do you want to get a snack for the movie?”

“I’m not too hungry,” Heinwald replied, “But we could split something if you wanted.”

“Oh that’s perfect. I was thinking we could share a large tub of popcorn.”

“That sounds good to me.”

They walked over to the concession stand, placing their order with the cashier. She turned around, scooping up some of the freshly popped snack into a large bucket and setting it down on the counter. Much like what they did for tickets, Curran paid with his card while Heinwald slipped him money to pay for half of it. Curran picked up the large bucket, tossing one of the kernels into his mouth. It’s light but salty taste was always such a comfort, especially when watching movies. Still, it could use something. He walked over to the butter pumps, squeezing extra butter onto the popcorn and coating the top of the bucket in the rich, golden liquid.

“Hope you don’t mind,” Curran said bashfully, “I like lots of butter on my popcorn.”

“No that’s fine,” Heinwald assured, “I do too.”

“Great. Now lets get to the theater. I wanna make sure we have good seats.”

Curran took Heinwald by the hand, guiding him into the dark movie theater. There were still a good ten minutes or so until the movie started, so the theater was playing trailers for other movies and pre-show entertainment instead. Curran looked through the audience, noticing a decent sized crowd, but was still able to find two seats in the middle, a perfect spot for the two of them. They wedged through the aisle and into their seats, sitting back in the comfortable theater chairs.

“So,” Heinwald wondered, grabbing a piece of popcorn from the bucket, “What’s _Captain Alberia_ about?”

“Well, he’s a super soldier who was just an ordinary guy until he was chosen to be injected with Dragon Blood and gain the strength and power of a dragon. Initially, he was meant to be a banner for Alberian soldiers to rally behind during the Great War, but after a failed mission to the wetlands, he ended up frozen in ice until modern day. But even so, he still fights for everything Alberia embodies, and his main weapon is a wyrmscale shield.”

“Sounds interesting,” Heinwald replied, trying to feign interest though the subject did little to titillate him.

“In the last movie, he had just reunited with an old friend who was also enhanced, but was used for evil, the Winter Paladyn. Still, he persisted with his allies to try to bring him back to sanity. Now he’s in a clash of ideals with another one of his allies, the eccentric billionaire and genius, Orichalcum Man, hence why the movie is named after the War of Binding. Man, I’m so excited to see what happens.”

“Have you always been a fan of superhero movies?”

“Yeah. I grew up on the Captain Alberia comics, so seeing him on the big screen like this is pretty amazing.”

“Well, I look forward to watching it with you.”

The room went darker and the screen changed. It looked like the movie was about to start. Curran waited at the edge of his seat, cheering as the logo for the comic book series flashed across the screen, showing a montage of graphics of the characters until it faded into lettering. Heinwald felt Curran’s arm drape over his shoulder, pulling him in close. As the movie started, Heinwald still had little clue as to what was going on. Even with Curran’s hasty explanation of the characters and their powers and backstories, there were plenty he had left out, making it all the more confusing. Black Cat Sith, The Phoenix, Scarlet Sorceress… it was as if the movie was in a different language. Still, Heinwald didn’t mind sitting through it, especially since Curran was here with him.

He reached his hand into the bucket of popcorn beside him, yet instead of grabbing hold of the salty snack, Heinwald’s hand brushed against Curran’s. He blushed, his heart racing from the gentle and intimate, yet accidental touch. Heinwald pulled his hand away in embarrassment, but snuggled up closer to Curran. His body was warm. It relaxed him, comforted him. He felt safe, lulled into a state of bliss and intimacy as if they were the only ones in the theater. Even with the vibrant CGI and booming sound effects, Heinwald felt like he could fall asleep in Curran’s arms. His eyelids grew heavy, and he rested his head on Curran’s shoulder, more comfortable than even the finest feather pillow. This was nice.

Curran looked to his side, feeling the weight of Heinwald’s head cradled between the crook of his neck and his shoulder. His eyes were closed and his breathing was calm, but there was an apparent smirk across his lips. Curran moved his hand from Heinwald’s shoulder to the crown of his head, running his fingers through his long, silky hair. Even if he slept through the rest of the movie, Curran didn’t want to wake him. He looked so peaceful and content, like he was happy just to be here with Curran, and that was more than enough for him.

***

By the time Heinwald had opened his eyes, the credits were rolling down the screen. He couldn’t believe he had slept through the whole movie, and worried Curran would tease him for it. Yet as he looked to Curran, he was greeted with a gentle smile and soft chuckle.

“Have a nice nap?” Curran asked.

“I’m sorry…” Heinwald blushed, “I really didn’t mean to fall asleep…”

“It’s fine. You looked so comfortable, I didn’t want to bug you.”

“Did you at least enjoy the movie?”

“It was great! Even better than the last _Captain Alberia_ movie!”

“Maybe we can watch it together when it comes to DVD. I’ll try not to fall asleep then.”

“That’s actually a great idea. I have all the other movies too, so maybe we can binge them together. It’ll be easier for you to understand this movie too that way.”

“I’d like that.”

Curran stood up from his seat, picking up the now empty bucket of popcorn and taking Heinwald’s hand. He tossed the bucket into the trashcan as they exited the dark theater, returning to the main lobby.

“Do you still have your ticket stub?” Curran asked, “I’m pretty hungry and could go for that free appetizer from Lazy Kamuy’s. They have the best Cajun fries.”

“Yeah, it’s still in my wallet,” Heinwald replied.

“You hungry enough for lunch?”

“I suppose.”

“Then let’s go. It’s just downstairs.”

The two left the movie theater, taking the escalator back down to the ground floor. Lazy Kamuy’s was right below the theater, and patrons out on the patio sat and dined. The restaurant appeared to be very dog friendly, as half of the patrons outside had their pets with them. Heinwald did a double take as a waitress brought food out for one of the tables, setting down a special plate for their dog to eat.

“This seems like a great place to go if you have a pet dog,” Heinwald commented.

“Yeah,” Curran replied, “It’s named after the owner’s pet husky, Kamuy, after all. My family and I used to take our old golden retriever here all the time when she was still around. She loved this place. But even if you don’t have a dog, it’s worth coming for the food alone.”

“I’m eager to try it.”

Curran grabbed onto the bone shaped door handle, pulling the door open to show Heinwald inside. The interior was decorated with hundred of pictures of dogs lining the wooden walls, and the ambient lighting was easy on Heinwald’s sensitive eyes. A bowl of dog bone shaped mints sat on the counter, and tee shirts with graphics of dogs and the restaurant’s name hung on display.

“Party of two?” the hostess asked.

“Yeah,” Curran replied.

“Would you like to sit inside, on the patio, or at the bar?” she wondered.

“What sounds good to you, Hein?” Curran asked.

“I’m fine with anything,” Heinwald responded.

“We’ll sit on the patio,” Curran told the hostess.

The hostess grabbed two menus and guided them out to the patio, setting the menus down on the table and bowing politely.

“Your server will be with you shortly,” she said.

Heinwald opened up the menu, looking at the list of entrees. It sounded like Curran really wanted to order the Cajun fries as an appetizer, and he didn’t mind in the slightest. If he were to choose something from the appetizer list, he would have gotten the same. He looked over to Curran, noticing that his menu was already closed.

“Oh, do you already know what you want?” Heinwald asked.

“Yeah,” Curran replied, “I always get their Black & Blue burger. It’s killer.”

“I’ll try to make up my mind quickly then.”

“There’s no rush. My folks won’t be expecting us home until dinner anyway.”

“I see.”

Heinwald closed his menu, blushing as he made eye contact with Curran. He was still a bit embarrassed that he had fallen asleep during the movie, and didn’t want Curran to think he was bored. Just spending time with Curran, talking with him, holding his hand, was the most fun he had in a while.

“Curran,” Heinwald said.

“Hm?” Curran wondered.

“Thank you for taking me on this date. I’m having a lot of fun.”

“Thanks for coming with me. It’s been fun for me too.”

Heinwald stretched his hand out across the table, tapping his fingers on the hard surface and hoping Curran would take the hint. He loved holding hands with Curran. His skin was always a bit rough, no doubt from his athletic endeavors, but there was something comforting about their fingers intertwining, some unknown sensation that made Heinwald feel loved, like he and Curran belonged together. He smirked as he felt Curran grab onto his hand, his warm palm brushing up against Heinwald’s in a way that made his heart race.

“I like you a lot, Curran,” Heinwald confessed, “You have no idea how happy I am to be here with you.”

Curran smiled, his big toothy grin making Heinwald’s heart flutter, “I’m happy too Hein. It’s so nice to be able to spend my birthday with my boyfriend.”

Hearing Curran refer to Heinwald as his boyfriend put Heinwald’s heart at ease. It was so comforting knowing that Curran’s feelings were mutual, that Curran wasn’t simply feeling bicurious or going out with him on a whim. No, Curran liked him, and he liked Curran back.

“Hein,” Curran said, interrupting Heinwald’s train of thought, “I was thinking… For our next date, how about you choose where we go? I want to do something you would enjoy.”

“Are you sure?” Heinwald asked, “I don’t want to choose something that would bore you…”

“I insist. You let me choose the venue today. It only seems right that you’d pick the next one.”

“Well… there is an art museum in downtown New Alberia that I’ve wanted to go to for a while. Can we go there? Or would that be too boring…”

“Of course we can. Nothing is boring with you around, Hein.”

“Then… it’s a date.”


	13. Chapter 13

The Diaz family truck rolled up to the gates of UNA, bound for Curran and Heinwald’s dormitory. Heinwald’s hand gripped tightly onto Curran’s, overjoyed and excited for the new year. He couldn’t have asked for a better winter holiday. Heinwald had left the campus with a best friend, and now was returning with a boyfriend; a kind, funny, handsome boyfriend that he would have only ever imagined having in his wildest dreams. He almost worried that it was all some sort of fleeting dream, that is was too good, no, too perfect, to be true. Yet Curran cared for him, and Curran’s family approved of their relationship. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Well boys,” Serge said, parking the truck by the dormitory, “Back to the grind.”

“Thank you again for having me,” Heinwald said, unbuckling and stepping out of the car.

“It was a pleasure to have you, Heinwald,” Clara cooed, “You’re always welcome to come back with Curran any time you want.”

“Maybe you can come back for summer too!” Serge suggested.

“Well, I’ll have to see what my father thinks of that first…” Heinwald sighed, “But I appreciate the invitation.”

“Did you boys want us to grab some lunch with you before we head back home?” Serge suggested.

“As much as we’d like to,” Curran said, resting his arm over Heinwald’s shoulder, “I promised Heinwald I’d take him to the museum on Halidom Street today.”

“Want us to drive you there after we help you unload?” Serge offered, “It’ll save you on some bus fare,”

“Pops…” Curran grunted.

Curran was happy to have such supportive parents. After hearing horror stories from Heinwald about how his dad reacted when he came out, Curran would never take his parents’ open-mindedness for granted. But still, he thought it was fair to not want his parents to tag along with him. After all, this was supposed to be their second date.

“I get it, I get it,” Serge chuckled, “Want some alone time with the boyfriend.”

“Curran, there’s no need to be rude,” Heinwald scolded, “Thank you for offering, Mr. Diaz.”

“How about I just give you some extra cash for the bus,” Serge said, handing Curran a ten-dollar bill.

“Thanks Pops,” Curran smiled.

“Have fun on your date,” Serge replied.

“We love you Curran,” Clara beamed.

Serge pulled Heinwald’s suitcase out of the back of the truck, setting it down on the ground between the two boys. Clara pulled her son and his boyfriend into a hug, giving Curran a kiss on the cheek.

“Make sure he doesn’t slack off this quarter,” she whispered to Heinwald.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep him on track,” Heinwald assured.

Clara pulled away from the group hug, allowing Serge to give Curran a final sendoff before they climbed back into the truck and drove away. As Heinwald was about to pick up his suitcase to take it up to their dorm, Curran intercepted him, taking Heinwald’s bag for him.

“No, I got it,” he assured.

“Ever the gentleman,” Heinwald chuckled.

Curran pulled the suitcase behind him, taking it up to their dormitory. Classes started up again on Monday, but most students wouldn’t be coming back until the afternoon or evening, so the dormitory lobby still looked like somewhat of a ghost town. Heinwald called the elevator, climbing inside with Curran. He was so used to the cabin being packed to the gills with students, yet today, it was just him and Curran; him and his boyfriend. As the doors closed, Heinwald kissed Curran on his lips. It started with a chaste peck, that then turned into a deep kiss with tongue, and before Heinwald knew it, Curran was pushing him against the wall, their bodies pressed together as they shared this passionate moment. Heinwald moaned as Curran bit down on his lower lip, his body growing hot as their tongues intertwined.

The doors to the elevator opened as they reached the seventh floor, and the two separated, careful to make sure no one saw them. As they walked over to their dorm room, Heinwald’s heart still felt like it had jumped out of his chest. He was happy to be dating Curran, he was excited to go on a museum date with him today. Yet a part of him wouldn’t mind if they had just stayed in the dorm and continued where they left off.

“So,” Curran said, opening the door and setting down the suitcase, “Did you want to change or shower first? Or are you good with heading straight to the muse-“

Heinwald cut Curran off with a kiss, closing the door behind him. He felt like his body was moving on its own, his tongue sliding past Curran’s lips. Curran willingly accepted his kiss, his hands wandering down to Heinwald’s hips. Heinwald felt the back of his legs collide with Curran’s bed, falling back into the soft cushion behind him. He yelped, feeling Curran’s hands ghost under his shirt, trailing along the smooth skin of his stomach.

“Wait…” Heinwald gasped, “Curran I…”

“You ok Hein?” Curran worried, “Did I go too far?”

“Well I…”

Heinwald’s words caught in his throat. He wouldn’t mind just letting go and giving into his lusts. He wanted Curran to touch him. He had longed for Curran to embrace him since he first developed a crush on him, but at the same time, he didn’t want Curran to think he was a man without restraint.

_“On the third date we can go all the way… On the third date we can go all the way...”_ he thought.

He sighed, pushing Curran off of him. Holding back was so difficult, but patience was a virtue.

“I just…” he swallowed, “I was looking forward to our museum date.”

“I understand,” Curran replied, “Sorry if I made you uncomfortable.”

_“Idiot… I wasn’t uncomfortable… I liked it too much…”_ Heinwald thought.

Curran stood up from the bed, straightening out his clothes and offering a hand to Heinwald. The bus to downtown came and went every fifteen minutes, so unless they wanted to wait around at the stop, it would be best for them to head down right now.

“You ready to go?” Curran asked.

“Mhm,” Heinwald nodded.

Curran gripped onto Heinwald’s hand, walking side by side out of the dorm room with him. He locked the door behind them, and the two returned to the elevator to take it down to the ground floor. Unfortunately, this time they wouldn’t be the only ones inside. A girl from one of the higher floors was waiting in the cabin, holding the door open for them.

“You going down too?” she asked.

“Yeah…” Curran replied, slightly disappointed.

He and Heinwald entered the elevator, standing in awkward silence with the other occupant. Curran knew it would be rude to say “we’ll take the next one,” especially since the elevator wasn’t cramped at all with three people in it, but he was secretly hoping for the opportunity to make out with Heinwald again. The feeling of Heinwald’s soft lips against his, the warmth of his tongue, the sound of his cute, muffled whimpers and moans; it was addictive. Curran feared that if he thought about it any more, he’d get hard.

The dinging of the elevator and subsequent opening of its doors brought Curran back to reality. He and Heinwald stepped out of the cabin, parting ways with the other occupant. As she went to reconvene with her family, they headed over to the bus stop. A few other students who had arrived back to campus early were waiting in tow, but the line wasn’t so long that they might not make it onto the bus. Within minutes, a bus bound for downtown New Alberia pulled up to the stop, its doors opening. With their student IDs, Curran and Heinwald could get free fare to any of the stops on campus, but Heinwald wasn’t sure if it applied to fare to downtown. His question was answered as the students before him all scanned in with their ID cards, not having to pay a cent in fare. Curran and Heinwald followed their example, holding their IDs up to be scanned before taking a seat on the bus.

“I had no idea that fare to downtown was free for students,” Heinwald said, sitting down in a seat by the window.

“Yeah, some of the theatre, music, and dance classes apparently require students to go see plays and orchestras down at the opera house,” Curran explained, “So the dean negotiated with public transport to waive all fees for students to downtown.”

“If you knew it was free, why’d you take that extra cash from your father?”

“Well, I was kinda hoping to use it to buy you a souvenir from the museum. Something to remember the date by.”

Heinwald blushed, gripping onto Curran’s hand tightly.

“How kind of you,” Heinwald replied, “But are you sure your father won’t mind?”

“He slips me cash all the time,” Curran assured, “I’m just surprised he did it in front of my mom. Normally it’s a ‘don’t tell your mother’ kinda thing, you know? I know you said your dad was kind of a dick, so did you mom ever do that for you?”

Heinwald sighed, “Well, I’m certain she would have if she were still around. She passed away when I was young.”

Color drained from Curran’s face. He was filled with immediate regret.

“Oh god, Hein I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I had no idea…”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to feel bad about it,” Heinwald replied, “It was partially my fault for not telling you before, but let’s not dwell on the past. After all, today is our second date.”

Heinwald kissed Curran on the cheek. Despite how fast and chaste it was, Curran actually kind of liked it. Curran wanted Heinwald to know that his sexuality wasn’t something to be ashamed of, that he was proud to be dating him. Little gestures of affection like this were a step in the right direction. He always believed that Heinwald shouldn’t have to be afraid to express himself romantically, to hide who he really was and how he really felt just to gain others’ approval; because Curran thought the world of him, and he wouldn’t see the man he liked viewing himself as anything less.

The two didn’t talk much as the bus steered onto the freeway ramp to downtown. Just by being next to each other, it felt like they were having a complete conversation without saying a single word. Ten minutes later, the bus was taking the exit for Halidom Street, driving into the heart of bustling downtown Alberia. There were shops, restaurants, movie theaters, and of course the opera house and museum. Heinwald had never been up here due to his passion for study, but he could understand why so many university students frequented this area. It was a hub of entertainment, and the variety of eateries was far more extensive than that of LV.

The bus came to a stop, letting all who wished to exit off. Curran and Heinwald disembarked, Curran pulling out his phone to guide them to the museum. Even though this was the closest stop to it, they still had about a five-minute walk before they actually got to the museum. Heinwald threaded his fingers between Curran’s, gripping onto his hand as the two made their way to their date. Along the way, Heinwald looked into the windows of the boutiques and restaurants, scoping out the location in case he and Curran got hungry and wanted to find somewhere to eat. He stopped in front of one of the windows, walking back and peering inside. This particular store didn’t look like it sold food or clothing. No, the patrons inside were sitting on the floor, playing with at least a dozen adorable cats and kittens.

“Whatcha looking at Hein?” Curran asked.

“I didn’t know they had a cat café up here!” Heinwald cooed, “Aw, Curran look at that little gray one! He’s taking a nap!”

“Didn’t you say you were allergic to cats?”

“Oh I am. Terribly so. Cat dander sends me into a sneezing fit and makes my eyes water and swell until I can’t see. But that still doesn’t stop me from thinking of them as adorable little creatures.”

“Never would have taken you for someone who likes cute things. Kinda betrays your goth aesthetic.”

“I am a multifaceted man, Curran. I can relish in tales of the macabre and unspeakable, but also think cats are so cute I want to snuggle up to them and never let go. Why, if I were to adopt that gray kitten in there, I think I would name him Yog’Sothoth.”

“Yup. That definitely sounds more like you. But if it’s just their dander you’re allergic to, why don’t you look into getting a hypoglycemic one?”

“A what?”

“A hypoglycemic one. One that won’t trigger your allergies.”

“Don’t you mean a _hypoallergenic_ one, Curran?”

“Fuck… not again…”

“Curran, don’t be embarrassed. I think it’s cute how you stumble over your words from time to time.”

Heinwald kissed Curran softly.

“Well, I know I said we’d go to the museum today,” Curran started, “But would you rather go to the cat café instead?”

“Ah yes, because having to choke down an antihistamine as my throat swells from allergy would be a perfectly romantic way to end a date,” Heinwald snickered, “But I do appreciate the offer Curran. Maybe if you can find a hairless cat café, we can go there on a date.”

“I’ll keep my eye out for one,” Curran laughed, “Now how about we head over to the museum?”

“Please. The longer I look at these cats the more tempted I’ll be to go in and pet them, even if it kills me.”

“Yup, we’re getting you out of here. I’d be the world’s crappiest boyfriend if I let my lover die on our second date.”

“And I wouldn’t want to miss out on any more dates with you.”

Heinwald hung onto Curran’s arm as the two walked away from the cat café and towards the museum. It was right down the street from the opera house, its white, stucco exterior and red tile roof setting it apart from the architecture of the other buildings. They climbed up the stairs to the entrance, queuing for tickets. Much like what they did on their previous date, Heinwald paid Curran back for his ticket in cash while Curran used his card to buy them. Once the two finally had their tickets, they walked through the front doors, into the vast forum. Curran was never really too fond of museums, but Heinwald seemed overjoyed to be surrounded by such beautiful pieces of artwork.

“Which area would you like to go to first?” Heinwald beamed, “Post-modern? Rococo? Impressionism?”

“I… I think I’ll just let you decide on that Hein,” Curran replied, “I’m happy just following your lead.”

“If that’s the case, may we go to the Romantic Period exhibit first? I heard that they have one of my favorite paintings from that time on display here.”

“Lead the way.”

Heinwald grabbed a map of the museum from the kiosk, studying it thoroughly before guiding Curran to the exhibit. They proceeded up to the second floor, admiring the paintings and statues along the way until they made it to the Romantic Period exhibit. As they walked into the room, Curran noticed most of the paintings used subdued colors, and many of the subjects of them looked almost ethereal.

“There it is, Curran!” Heinwald exclaimed, bringing Curran over to the work he was looking for.

The painting was huge, covering nearly one third of the wall and settled in an ornate, wooden frame. At the center of the picture was a topless woman, hoisting the Alberian standard victoriously towards the light. Though corpses lay at her feet, she looked back in assurance at the sword bearing soldiers who followed her, each with expressions of pride and determination on their faces.

“Liberté Guident L’Alberie,” Heinwald said, “From the first Alberian Revolution.”

“Who’s the lady in the center?” Curran wondered, “Is that Jeanne D’Arc?”

“A common misconception. That is actually Marianne, a maiden who represents liberty, fraternity, and equality. She was a prominent symbol for early Alberians. This whole painting was a commemoration of Alberian people coming together to fight against injustice, their mutual love for their homeland and everything Alberia represents guiding them through the darkness.”

Curran was amazed. Science, literature, and now art history: what could Heinwald _not_ do? Not that Curran didn’t like the painting; he thought it was an absolutely beautiful piece of art, but he wouldn’t have been able to analyze it to anywhere near the extent that Heinwald could.

“What do you think, Curran?” Heinwald wondered.

“It’s umm…” Curran stammered, trying not to make a fool of himself, “It looks cool.”

“You aren’t bored, are you?” Heinwald worried.

“No! Not at all. I’m actually really impressed at how much you know about this stuff. You’re amazing Heinwald.”

Heinwald blushed. A crowd was starting to form behind them as a tour group walked into the room. No doubt they all wanted to look at the painting as well.

“Shall we head to the next exhibit?” Heinwald asked.

“Sounds good to me,” Curran responded.

They walked out of the room towards the next exhibit that Heinwald wanted to see, the statue hall. It was on the bottom floor in the back wing of the museum, the entrance to the room guarded by a statue of a woman with wings. Her head and arms had been knocked off, no doubt due to how old the sculpture was, but it was still a jaw dropping sight nonetheless.

“The Winged Victory,” Heinwald gaped, “Wow, I can’t believe they were able to get ahold of it!”

“You know of this statue too?” Curran asked.

“Of course. It’s a sculpture of the Goddess of Victory, Nike.”

“Oh, like the shoes!”

Heinwald sighed, “Yes… like the shoes…”

“I know a lot of Alberian businesses are named after gods and dragons, but I never would have guessed that Nike was a Goddess’ name,” Curran said.

“I suppose this means you’re learning. It looks like I have even more to teach you. We will make a Renaissance Man out of you yet, Curran!”

The two passed The Winged Victory and headed into the sculpture hall. Anything from marble busts to clay sculptures and pots from the era before Ilia were on display, all grouped by period. As they admired the sculptures, Heinwald noticed several artists standing in concentration in front of some of them, sketchbooks and pencils in hand.

“Looks like we came on artist day or something,” Curran commented.

“I’ve seen a few of these people around UNA,” Heinwald remarked, “Do you think they could be here for some sort of class project?”

“Dunno. But might as well ask.”

Curran looked around the hall, trying to find an artist who looked free enough to approach. He stopped in front of a petite girl with a light brown bob and yellow beret, her golden eyes constantly shifting from one of the statues to her sketchpad.

“Hey there,” he said, “Don’t mean to bother you, but do you go to UNA?”

“I do,” she beamed, “Are you another art student there?”

“I go there, but I can’t even draw a straight line,” Curran laughed, “I was just here on a date with my boyfriend, and we noticed a lot of familiar faces sketching like mad around here. Is the art department doing something special?”

“Something special? Try life changing!” she smiled, “The head of the art department is opening a master class in collaboration with the museum. They’re accept five students to study in an intense course that will push us to our limits, but if we can prove our artistic ability and muscle through, our finals will be put on display in the museum for all to see!”

“Wow, sounds cool.”

“The course isn’t until the spring quarter, but you need to apply with a pretty thorough portfolio, so a bunch of us came here to work on our still lifes.”

“May I take a look at what you’ve done so far?”

“Sure!”

The girl showed Curran her sketchbook, presenting her drawing. Curran’s eyes bulged. It almost looked like she had taken a photograph of the sculpture. The shading was perfect and the sculpture’s carved muscles almost seemed to bulge off the page.

“Wow,” Curran gaped, “This is amazing, um… Did I ever get your name?”

“It’s Fleur,” she replied.

“You’re crazy talented Fleur,” Curran praised, “I’m Curran by the way. Mind if I bring my boyfriend over to take a look too? He loves art.”

“Of course!”

Curran ran back over to Heinwald, who was admiring a statue of a beautiful woman without arms.

“Did you find out what’s going on?” Heinwald wondered.

“Apparently the art department is gonna have a master class where the students accepted into it will get their art displayed here,” Curran explained, “But I gotta show you this girl’s art. It’s amazing!”

Curran dragged Heinwald over to Fleur, who immediately set down her sketchpad and gasped.

“Fleur,” he introduced, “This is my boyfriend, Heinwa-“

“Can I draw you?” she interrupted, her eyes sparkling as she grinned ear to ear.

“I… beg your pardon?” Heinwald asked.

“I’m sorry, I just got a little bit excited,” Fleur confessed, “I need to do a portrait for my portfolio, but I’ve been having the hardest time finding a muse. But you; your dignified air of an Alberian nobleman, your vibrant eyes, your long, silver streaked locks. This is the inspiration I’ve been looking for!”

“I… I’m flattered, I suppose,” Heinwald flushed.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Fleur said, “But I would love to draw you for my portfolio. I’ll even give you a copy of the finished project if you want.”

“I don’t know…” Heinwald sighed, “Something tells me there are better models on campus.”

“Nonsense!” Fleur assured.

“I think you should do it Hein,” Curran urged, “How cool would it be to say you modeled for her when she becomes a famous artist?”

“Aww, now you’re flattering me,” she smirked, cupping her cheeks.

“You should see her art, Hein,” Curran praised.

Fleur showed off her work in progress from her sketchbook with pride, making Heinwald raise his hand to his chin and smirk.

“Impressive,” Heinwald commented, “Your grasp of lighting and anatomy is exquisite.”

“Thank you! Shading used to be so difficult for me, but I’ve been practicing it a lot,” she beamed, “I really want to get into this master class… It would be the perfect kickstart to my career!”

Heinwald exchanged glances with Curran, shrugging and sighing.

“If I agreed to let you draw me,” Heinwald worried, “It… wouldn’t be a nude drawing, would it?”

“Oh no, just a portrait from your chest up!” she assured.

“Well… Ok, I’ll model for you,” Heinwald conceded.

“Thank you so, so much!” Fleur beamed, “Can I get your phone number so we can work out a better day and time? I didn’t mean to interrupt your date.”

“Of course, let me just see your phone,” Heinwald replied.

Fleur handed him her phone, enrobed in a cute, pastel colored case. Heinwald put his name and phone number into her contacts, then handed it back to her so she could text him with her name.

“I’ll be in touch!” she said waving goodbye to them, “Thank you again, and have fun on the rest of your date!”

Before Heinwald could say anything else, Fleur picked her pencil back up and continued fervently shading her still life sketch.

“Well, did you want to continue looking around the museum?” Curran asked.

“Of course,” Heinwald replied, “There’s so much more I still want to see.”

The two walked hand and hand through the museum exhibits. Curran never used to care for museums. He always found them boring and a bit pretentious, but being here with Heinwald and seeing him get so passionate about the artwork was more than enough to keep his focus. Curran was happy just to see Heinwald happy, to see that he was having fun on their date. Hours felt like minutes as they walked through the museum, and before Curran knew it, they had visited every exhibit.

“Curran,” Heinwald said as they walked through the foyer, towards the exit, “This was a lot of fun.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” Curran replied, “Did you want to go look in the gift shop? I’ll buy you something.”

“I don’t need a souvenir. I’m just happy I was able to come visit with you.”

They walked down the stairs of the museum’s entrance, the brightness of afternoon making way for the ebbing light of dusk. Heinwald brushed his bangs from his eyes, leaning in to give Curran a kiss. However, as his lips were just about to brush against Curran’s, he heard a loud gurgle from his stomach.

“You hungry?” Curran laughed.

“A bit,” Heinwald replied.

“How about we grab something nice for dinner then? I think I saw a pretty good-looking curry place down the street. Do you like curry?”

“Depends on how spicy it is.”

“Well, we can see if they can make it mild for you.”

“No Curran, you misunderstand. I can eat ghost peppers like they’re candy. I was worried it wouldn’t be spicy _enough_.”

Curran was shocked. Heinwald looked like the kind of guy who would think that lemon lime soda was too spicy. There were still so many things about Heinwald that Curran would have never expected, but at the same time, he liked the little surprises. It was like he was slowly whittling away at the wall Heinwald had built up around himself, coming closer and closer to figuring out who he really was, and how amazing of a person he was.

“Curran,” Heinwald chuckled, “Weren’t you going to take me for curry?”

Heinwald’s silky voice pulled Curran from his thoughts; not that the reality he was returning to was a bad one. He was downtown with his adorable, incredible boyfriend. They had just finished their museum date and were going to get dinner before they went home. Maybe if things kept going well, they could make out a bit before going to bed. He pulled Heinwald in for a passionate kiss, not caring about the stares of passersby. Curran was so happy to be here with Heinwald, so overjoyed to spend time with him so…

“In love,” Curran mumbled.

“Hm?” Heinwald wondered.

“I think I’m in love with you.”

Heinwald blushed, his heart jumping out of his chest.

“Shit… did I drop the ‘l word’ too soon?” Curran grumbled.

“I’m in love with you too, Curran,” Heinwald smiled, kissing him once more, “I love you.”

Curran grinned ear to ear. He was never one to throw around the word “love” so lightly, but he had no regret for what he said. Heinwald was so perfect. He was smart, kind, caring, and absolutely gorgeous to top it off. Curran loved Heinwald, and Heinwald loved him back.

“I love you too, Heinwald.”


	14. Chapter 14

Curran tucked his textbooks away in his backpack, standing up from his seat to leave the lecture hall. Unlike the previous quarter where he had only taken the bare minimum of twelve units, Curran had decided to take on a slightly more rigorous load of fifteen. English 102, Trigonometry, World History, and French 1; each subject did little to grab his attention, but he chose them more out of the need to fulfill a requirement than actually showing interest. He needed to get his GEs out of the way, and even if he found the class’ topics boring or difficult to grasp, Curran took comfort in the fact that his brilliant boyfriend would be more than happy to tutor him. Suddenly, Curran felt his cell phone vibrating in his pocket. He pulled it out, gazing down at the notification obscuring his lockscreen. It was a text from Heinwald. Curran swiped the notification to the side, opening up his messages to see the full text.

_“Curran,”_ Heinwald wrote, _“What time is your birthday party at Ranzal’s again?”_

Curran tapped vigorously on the screen, composing his response as he walked home to the dorm.

_“Tomorrow at 7,”_ Curran replied, _“Why do you ask?”_

_“I just wanted to see if you wanted to get dinner before we go. Or is Ranzal ordering pizza or something for the party?”_

_“I’m pretty sure it’s just gonna be booze and snacks, so I’m down for dinner. Where do you want to go?”_

_“You choose. I’m fine with anything.”_

_“Mmk. I’ll see what I’m in the mood for tomorrow then.”_

After Curran sent his last message, he noticed Heinwald was still typing, the three dots beneath his bubble of text fading in and out.

_“Actually, Curran, there is one more thing I want to talk with you about, but my next class is about to start,”_ he wrote, _“It’s not bad, but I think it would be smart to discuss it with you nonetheless. Can we talk about it when I get home?”_

 _“Fine by me,”_ Curran responded, _“I’ll see you then, Hein.”_

Curran put his phone back in his pocket, continuing his walk across campus. Even though it was a Friday, Heinwald still had classes until 6 PM. Such a thing was to be expected considering how many units he was taking, but Curran was a bit disappointed that their class schedules didn’t mesh as well this quarter. He still had the weekends to look forward to spending with Heinwald, but Heinwald was such an overachiever, Curran worried that his studies would consume his social life completely. Curran shook his head. Just because they were dating didn’t mean that he and Heinwald had to spend every waking minute together. Besides, they were still living under the same roof, and at the end of the day, Curran would still be able to kiss him goodnight every evening.

Curran walked into the main lobby of the dormitory, taking the stairs up to his room on the seventh floor. He turned the key in the lock, opening up the door and setting his backpack down on his bed before pulling one of the textbooks out: _Introduction à la Français_. Curran sighed. He wasn’t so certain about this class. In high school he always hated foreign language classes. Even though his grandmother on his father’s side spoke more Spanish than English, Curran found it very difficult to grasp the language, much to his abuela’s dismay. He hoped French would be easier, but he felt even more lost after his first week in the class. His accent was abysmal, the conjugations were hard to remember, and he couldn’t even hope to try to sound out the words on his own. He still couldn’t believe that the French word for bird, “oiseau,” was pronounced like “wazo.” Then again, back when Curran was signing up for classes, Heinwald seemed very enthusiastic about the thought of Curran taking French. Heinwald’s name sounded very German, and he did often hear him arguing on the phone with his father in what he assumed was that language, but at the same time, he wouldn’t be surprised if Heinwald was trilingual.

He opened up the textbook, trying to read through the bare bones of the language. This week, they covered the extreme basics; introductions, colors, numbers, etc; yet Curran still found himself having a hard time pronouncing and remembering words. The fact that everything was gendered made it even harder. Not only would he have to remember how to spell the word, Curran also had to know whether to use the masculine “le” or feminine “la” with it. To someone fluent, this probably seemed like kindergarten level content, but to Curran, it was the most difficult out of all of his courses this quarter.

“Looks like I’m gonna have to beg Hein for help again,” he sighed, “Why did this language have to be so confusing…”

He set the textbook aside. If he kept trying to figure out the language on his own, Curran would surely burn himself out. Still, he didn’t want to procrastinate on his work. The sooner he got his assigned reading done, the more time he’d be able to spend with Heinwald over the weekend. Before meeting Heinwald, Curran wouldn’t have thought twice about skipping the assigned reading for the sake of fun. Yet now, he wanted to do well, to impress Heinwald as both a pupil and a partner. Curran loved studying with him, but he would much rather spend the free time he had with Heinwald as boyfriends instead of as tutor and student.

He pulled out his world history book, flipping it open to the first chapter. The text within was dry and didactic, but at least it was in English. Curran buried his nose in the book, forcing himself to read the chapter. It seemed to go by much slower than whenever Heinwald tutored with him. Heinwald always managed to make even the most boring subject interesting, the most incomprehensible writing understandable. Curran loathed to admit it, but he might have become dependent on Heinwald’s tutoring. He scanned across the page until he reached the end of the last paragraph, flipping to the next one and continuing to read.

An hour passed, and finally Curran had finished his assigned reading for history. It was a slog to get through, but at least it was done. He immediately perked up when he heard the jangling of keys from right outside the door, watching the doorknob turn as it unlocked. He jumped out of bed, throwing his arms around Heinwald as soon as he stepped into the room.

“Welcome back,” Curran beamed, “How was class?”

“Pretty uneventful,” Heinwald replied, “But I’m sure things will get more exciting next week. How about you, Curran? Did all of your classes go well?”

“So-so… I’m gonna really need your help in French though…”

“Ah, le Français est un peu difficile pour les personnes qui parlent une langue seulement… mais je connais assez de la langue, alors je pense que je peux aider.”

“Showoff…”

Heinwald chuckled, giving Curran a chaste kiss on the cheek. As he pulled away, Curran noticed blush tinting his cheeks pink. Earlier today, Heinwald did say he had something important he wanted to discuss with him. Maybe that was causing him to get a bit flustered.

“So, Hein,” Curran said, sitting down on his bed and encouraging Heinwald to join him, “What was it you wanted to talk to me about earlier?”

“Well,” Heinwald replied, averting his gaze as his blush only burned brighter, “Going to dinner and the party tomorrow… Would you consider that our third date?”

“I guess. Why? Was there something special you wanted to do?”

“Oh, no… I guess I’m still just a bit nervous is all…”

Curran furrowed his brow. He had a great time on their first two dates. What would Heinwald be so worried about for their third one?

“You don’t need to be nervous around me, Hein,” Curran assured, “What’s got you worried though?”

“I’m sure you know what they say about third dates Curran…” Heinwald flushed, “And what usually happens after.”

“What do you mean what happens after?”

“Sex.”

“Oh…”

Curran’s cheeks went red as well, his heart pounding so hard that he was sure even Heinwald could hear it. Now that he thought about it, in all of his previous relationships (save for one night stands), they did usually go all the way on the third date. It must have been some sort of unspoken rule that the third date meant sex, and he had followed it, even if it was unknowingly.

“If you’re too nervous, we don’t have to do it, Hein,” Curran assured, “I’m perfectly fine with going at your pace.”

“Oh no I want to do it, Curran,” Heinwald assured, “I just wanted to be candid with you; to make sure we’re on the same page for when we do go all the way.”

“I understand. It’d probably be smart to talk about this beforehand. You’re the first guy I’ve ever slept with, so this is gonna be a whole new experience for me.”

Heinwald gripped at Curran’s hand, taking a deep breath.

“I’ve done my research,” Heinwald explained, “But this is my first time, _period_. I’ve done oral and given a few handjobs before, but I’ve always been a bit hesitant when it comes to anal.”

“I can understand that. I wanted to try it with my high school girlfriend, but she wasn’t too pleased with the idea…”

Heinwald bit his lower lip. This was awkward and embarrassing to talk about, but also, strangely arousing. The fact that Curran was willing to engage in this conversation with him in the first place was a balm to Heinwald’s frazzled nerves. Curran cared about him, and he would gladly give him his first time.

“I’m assuming you wanted to be on top then,” Heinwald said.

“Well, that’s what I’d prefer,” Curran confessed, “But I mean, if it’s with you, I think I’d be fine with being on the receiving end.”

“I was actually hoping you’d be on top. I… I’ve been practicing stretching myself out back there…”

Curran swallowed hard, Heinwald’s words going straight to his groin. The mental image of Heinwald fingering himself flashed across his mind’s eye. He could practically hear Heinwald’s muffled moans as he imagined him melting in pleasure, his fingers massaging his hole open.

“That’s really hot…” Curran blurted out.

“I just didn’t want it to hurt…” Heinwald confessed, “I’m sensitive, and I’ve heard mixed reviews on whether your first time hurts or not… It’s not that I don’t think I’m ready… it’s just…”

“You don’t have to explain yourself, Hein. Like I said before, you set the pace. If you want to do it, we’ll do it. If you want to wait, we’ll wait. And this, I want to make perfectly clear: if you feel uncomfortable at any time, tell me. Even if you change your mind halfway through, I’ll pull out and we’ll stop and try again another time. Your pleasure and comfort comes first.”

“Really?”

“I promise. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

Curran tipped Heinwald’s chin upward, kissing him softly on the lips. Heinwald’s heart fluttered as Curran ran his fingers through his hair, gently caressing his scalp. He pulled away wistfully, his crimson eyes half lidded as he stared into Curran’s deep, blue ones.

“You’re such a good guy, Curran,” Heinwald breathed.

“I’m just doing what any decent boyfriend would do,” Curran said bashfully.

“Do you have any condoms? I already have lube.”

“I’m sure I still have a few around. If not I can just run into LV sometime tomorrow and buy some.”

“Well then… I think we’ve covered everything I was worried about. Thank you for hearing me out Curran. I- I’m really excited for tomorrow night.”

The heat pooling in Curran’s groin grew stifling, his pants suffocating him as his member hardened and twitched against its tight confines. He didn’t want to push anything on Heinwald right now, especially since he had just finished telling Heinwald about how much he respected his boundaries. Still, at the same time, his cock ached and throbbed. He wanted to release.

“Hein,” Curran choked.

“What is it?” Heinwald wondered.

“I… I think I’m gonna go take a shower real quick. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“Ok. Take your time.”

Curran didn’t even bother to take off his clothes. If by some miracle Heinwald didn’t already notice the tent he was pitching in his pants, he would absolutely notice if he stripped. He hastily grabbed a robe, a towel, and his 3 in 1 shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash and rushed out the door. As soon as the door closed behind him, Heinwald heaved a sigh of relief before returning to his own bed.

“We’re finally going to do it…” Heinwald said to himself, a combination of nerves and excitement lingering in his tone.

Heinwald had wanted this for a long time. Yet at the same time, he was still a bit afraid. The two of them were both complete novices when it came to anal sex, and while Heinwald had seen his fair share of gay porn and fingered himself often, he feared that it still wouldn’t be enough. He didn’t even know how big Curran was down there when aroused. Living together, Heinwald had of course gotten a few glimpses while they were changing, but Curran was flaccid at the time, and the looks were far too brief to remember his exact size. He wanted to be able to take the entirety of Curran’s length, to make him feel just as good, if not better, than he did with all of his previous partners. Heinwald leaned back into his pillow, burying his face into the feathery softness. Worrying about what could go wrong would only make him more nervous. He trusted Curran. He loved Curran. He knew that Curran wouldn’t want to hurt him.

Heinwald reached over to his nightstand, pulling out a bottle of lube from within. His member was still half hard from his conversation with Curran, but as much as he wanted to quickly rub one out before Curran came back, Heinwald figured it would be better to finger himself instead. A little extra preparation never hurt. He slicked the lubricant onto his fingers, slowly massaging his entrance to ease himself open. His breath hitched as his middle finger pressed inside to the first joint, the spreading sensation numbing his mind.

“Curran,” he whimpered, “I need you so badly…”

***

Heinwald ran his brush through his long, silver streaked hair, working the tangles out from the curls so he could tie it back easier. As he reached for his hairtie, he hesitated, looking back to Curran inquisitively. He was getting ready for the party himself, buttoning up his shirt before spraying some of the cologne Heinwald had given him for Dragonyule along his neck and wrists. Curran cleaned up so nicely. The way he coifed his hair so it was partially slicked back and trimmed his goatee so it lay smoothly against his chin; he looked so handsome that Heinwald felt his cheeks grow hot just from looking at him. It almost made him worry that he’d look too plain or homely in comparison. Heinwald looked at himself in the mirror, twirling one of his curls between his fingers.

“Curran,” he asked, “I was thinking about doing something different with my hair tonight.”

“Oh?” Curran wondered, walking over to Heinwald in intrigue, “What were you thinking of?”

“Maybe a bun or a braid. I’m certain you must get tired of seeing the same old low ponytail every day.”

“I think any hairstyle is a good look for you, and I don’t mind the low ponytail at all. It suits you. What’s got you all worried about your appearance for, Hein? You look amazing to me no matter what.”

“I just want to look decent enough that your friends don’t think that you’re just settling for me.”

“Come on, Hein. You know most of my friends already, and I’d bet quite a few of them will be jealous to see I’ve taken the hottest guy at UNA off the market.”

“Your bias amazes me sometimes Curran…”

“Well, if you want to mix things up with your hairstyle, how about you leave it down? You have such pretty hair, Heinwald. I think you should show it off more often.”

Curran rested his hand on the top of Heinwald’s scalp, his touch descending down Heinwald’s silky, cascading locks. It was like stroking freshly spun silk, the voluminous curls wrapping around his fingers. Even the parts of his hair that Heinwald had dyed silver felt soft to the touch, a stark contrast from the typical crunchy dryness of dyed hair. Heinwald smiled warmly, savoring Curran’s touch, relishing in his praise.

“I suppose leaving it down once in a while wouldn’t hurt,” Heinwald said.

With his hairdo dilemma straightened out, Heinwald was now ready to go. They still had a good hour before the party, but that gave them plenty of time for their dinner date beforehand. It wouldn’t be anything extravagant, just some bread bowls at Zodi Bowls, but Heinwald didn’t mind in the slightest. He and Curran could order take out for all he cared. Just being by Curran’s side was more than enough to make Heinwald happy.

“You good to go?” Curran asked.

“Yeah. And I’m starving,” Heinwald replied.

“Then lets head over before the dinner rush starts.”

Heinwald grabbed onto Curran’s hand, walking out the door to their dormitory and down the hallway to the elevator. He always enjoyed feeling the soft warmth of Curran’s palm pressing against his, their fingers intertwining as they held on tight to each other. Whenever the two held hands, Heinwald never wanted to let go, that sweet, intimate touch relaxing Heinwald to his core. They took the elevator down to the ground floor of their dormitory, walking through the main lobby and out the front doors, bound for Lotier Vista. There seemed to be quite a few parties going on, but nowhere near the extent of Halloween or the first few weeks of the fall quarter. UNA may have a reputation as a party school, but the students sure had to study hard if they wanted to party hard.

Zodi Bowls was in a pretty familiar location for both Heinwald and Curran: on the street perpendicular to Honeycups. Heinwald rarely ate at this establishment, mainly because he ate like a bird for anything that wasn’t a dessert, and the portions here seemed large enough to feed an army. Curran held the door open for him, allowing Heinwald to walk inside and take a look at the menu. Fortunately, it wasn’t as crowded as Curran expected, and there was still plenty of room for the two to sit inside together.

“Do you know what you want Hein?” Curran asked, rubbing his chin as he looked up at the menu signboard, “If so, maybe you can grab a table for us while I order.”

“I think I’ll go for the tomato soup bread bowl and a large mint lemonade,” Heinwald said, handing Curran a ten-dollar bill to pay for his order.

“Just soup? You sure that will fill you up?”

“The fact that it’s in a bread bowl will make it plenty filling for me. What are you thinking about getting, Curran?”

“I’m gonna go for my usual, The Mac Daddy.”

The meal in question was the signature dish of Zodi Bowls: a bowl of creamy mac n’ cheese topped with grilled chicken and bacon bits, all served in a sourdough bread bowl. Ordering and eating it was almost like a rite of passage for UNA students, but because it was such a big meal and the sauce for the mac n’ cheese looked so rich, Heinwald would probably just have to settle for taking a small bite of Curran’s instead.

“I’ll go grab us a table then,” Heinwald said.

As Curran approached the cashier to order their dinners, Heinwald sat down at one of the tables inside, right next to the window looking out into LV. The restaurant had a perfect view of the park, making Heinwald feel oddly nostalgic. Just last year, Curran had taken him there for a heart to heart conversation, and it was at that moment when he truly considered Curran a friend. Sitting down amongst the beautiful scenery and watching the sunset as he enjoyed the ice cream Curran had bought him; in hindsight, it was almost like a date in itself.

His heart fluttered as he realized how far he and Curran had come. They started out as strangers, roommates who couldn’t seem more different from each other that were matched together randomly by the university. Yet now here they were on their third date together. Was it really mere chance that they were chosen to room together, or was it fate? Everything felt so right to Heinwald when he was with Curran. He had someone to confide in, someone who cherished him and praised him, someone who valued his hopes and dreams and accepted him for who he really was. It was as if Curran was his guardian angel, brought into his life to finally give him the happiness that he had been deprived of for so long. Curran returned to their table, handing Heinwald the mint lemonade he had ordered and placing his own drink down on the wooden surface. It was a vibrant pink in comparison to the subdued yellow of Heinwald’s drink and condensation coated the exterior of the cups.

“Hope you didn’t mind that I stole a sip from yours,” Curran chuckled.

“Well, it looks like I’ll have to tax you for a drink of yours then,” Heinwald replied, “What kind of drink did you get anyway?”

“A dragonfruit lemonade. It looked tasty and I’d never tried it before, so I figured I might as well order one.”

Heinwald snatched Curran’s drink away from him, wrapping his lips around the straw as he drained a sip from the cup. The tropical, light flavor of the dragonfruit meshed perfectly with the acidity of the lemonade, and while Heinwald typically enjoyed his drinks extra sweet, he kind of enjoyed the more subdued sweetness.

“Hey, easy there,” Curran urged, “Save some for me.”

“You wouldn’t be interested in trading, would you?” Heinwald asked.

“Can I at least have a taste?”

“Fine… I’ll just stick with what I ordered…”

Heinwald handed the drink back to Curran, who immediately took a sip. Yet after his first drink, he found himself pushing the beverage back to Heinwald, taking the mint lemonade for himself.

“I actually kind of like what you got better…” he conceded.

“Well, this works out perfectly then,” Heinwald beamed.

Shortly after, an employee approached the table with their meal orders in hand, placing the tomato soup in front of Heinwald and the Mac Daddy in front of Curran. Curran’s meal looked even more decadent than it did in the photo on the menu board, melted cheddar and provolone glistening on top of the already rich pasta dish. Curran immediately picked up his fork, digging into his dinner. Long threads of cheese stretched from the bowl to his fork as he lifted it to his mouth. It almost looked sinful, yet it made Heinwald’s mouth water.

“So that’s the infamous Mac Daddy,” Heinwald said, closing his lips around his spoonful of tomato bisque.

“Have you never had it?” Curran wondered, chewing his first bite with relish.

“I’d never be able to finish that on my own.”

“Well then you gotta at least try a bite of mine. It’s crazy good.”

Curran scooped up another forkful of the pasta, holding it out for Heinwald to try. One of the pasta shells dangled precariously from the fork, a thread of melted cheese its only lifeline to hang on with. Heinwald accepted the offering, biting the morsel of the dish off of the fork. His brows raised as he chewed, its delightfully silky texture and creamy taste spreading across his palate. The bacon bits added a smoky, savory element to the dish, and the chicken was cooked to tender perfection. Heinwald could understand why so many UNA students sung praises of the Mac Daddy now; it was absolutely delicious. Still, Heinwald didn’t regret not ordering one for himself. He could tell from the first bite alone that he’d struggle to finish half of the meal, let alone the entire thing. Sure he could take it to go, but sadly bread bowls hardly preserved their structural integrity overnight, especially if the contents within contained a soup or a sauce. A delightfully crunchy sourdough bowl would turn into a soggy mess within hours, so leftovers were out of the question.

“What do you think?” Curran asked.

“It certainly lives up to its hype,” Heinwald replied, “But I think I’ll stick with my soup. I don’t want to stuff myself into a food coma.”

“Fair enough.”

As Heinwald continued eating his soup, he tore a piece of the bowl’s top off, dipping it into the soup to absorb some of its delicious, tomato flavor. This restaurant was excellent in reducing waste, and instead of discarding the sourdough bowls’ tops or interiors, the staff toasted them with garlic herb butter and cheese, serving them on the sides of their dishes. It was a godsend for Heinwald’s order in particular, and reminded him of a grown up version tomato soup and grilled cheese.

He and Curran continued talking as they enjoyed their meals, scraping their bowls dry and nibbling on the bread. Heinwald could sit here and talk with Curran for hours, but as much as he would love that, they had a party to get to. He wasn’t exactly looking forward to the loud music, sweating bodies, and cramped space, but he would be going with Curran as his boyfriend, and that would make everything worth it. Heinwald set down his spoon as Curran shoved the last bite of his bread bowl into his mouth, completely cleaning his plate before picking up both his and Heinwald’s to bus away.

“Man that was delicious,” Curran smiled, “You ready to head over to Ranzal’s?”

“Of course,” Heinwald replied, standing up from the table and reaching out for Curran’s hand, “I’m ready when you are.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I miss Buddha Bowls... If any of you are in the Goleta, CA area, I highly recommend checking them out and ordering a Mac Daddy. It's to die for.


	15. Chapter 15

The two left the restaurant, bound for Ranzal’s frat house. The air had turned cool as dusk faded into night, yet the gentle heat of Curran’s palm kept Heinwald warmer than his peacoat ever did. It was a short walk from Zodi Bowls to the fraternity, and it seemed to only speed by quicker as the pair chatted and laughed all the way to the house. When they finally arrived, Curran raised his hand to knock on the door, Ranzal immediately coming to answer.

“Perfect timing,” he grinned before turning back to face his frat brothers, “Guys, the guest of honor is here!”

“Happy Birthday man!” Luca shouted from inside.

“Come on in, the party is just about to start,” Ranzal urged.

As Heinwald stepped into the fraternity with Curran, he noticed immediately that this wasn’t the kind of party he was expecting. Instead of the house being packed to the gills with students, it seemed like there were only a maximum of twenty guests. The music had been turned down to a bearable volume and instead of dancing or grinding on each other, guests simply played board games or party games on the television set up in the living room. Heinwald even recognized a few of the guests as some of their mutual friends, Sinoa, Amane, and Xainfried. Sylas still remained in the kitchen, mixing drinks and putting out snacks, but due to the lack of foot traffic, he wasn’t as pressed to get his concoctions out as quickly. It was a pleasant surprise to say the least.

“Want me to get you guys something to drink?” Ranzal asked.

“I could go for a beer,” Curran said, “How about you, Hein?”

“Just water is fine by me,” Heinwald replied, “I don’t want to drink too much tonight.”

“You sure you don’t want any booze?” Ranzal asked, “I mean, no shame but…”

“I would love to, but I just think it would be smart for me to remain sober tonight,” Heinwald responded, gripping on tightly to Curran’s hand as blush painted his cheeks.

“Ohhh, I gotcha,” Ranzal grinned cheekily, raising his brows teasingly as he caught on, “I’ll go get you your beer, Curran.”

“I think I’m gonna go play some Smash,” Curran said, looking over to the living room, “You wanna join?”

“Curran,” Heinwald fretted, “You didn’t ask Ranzal to tone the party down for my sake, did you?”

“What? No of course not. Why would you ask that?”

“It doesn’t exactly seem like a frat party.”

“Hein, I didn’t _want_ a frat party for my birthday party. I mean don’t get me wrong, they’re fun and all, but I wanted to be able to come here and know everyone’s names: to just hang out with friends, maybe have a drink or two, and most importantly, have fun with you.”

Curran kissed Heinwald gently on the cheek.

“And besides, I’m happy that Ranzal went for a party we can both enjoy,” Curran assured, “Now come on. Let’s go have some fun.”

Curran escorted Heinwald to the living room, several people on the couch standing up to greet him. A few of them looked like frat boys, but there were some other faces that Heinwald didn’t recognize. One of them pulled Curran into a tight hug, grinning toothily from ear to ear. He was a tall, muscular, Taiwuese man with a bushy black beard and golden eyes.

“Happy Birthday Curran!” he beamed, “19 now, huh?”

“Yup,” Curran replied, “Just two more years and I’ll be able to buy my own drinks.”

“Where’s your boyfriend by the way? Didn’t you say he was coming to the party tonight too?”

“Oh yeah, let me grab him so I can introduce you to him.”

Curran turned around, grabbing Heinwald and bringing him over to meet his friend.

“Bajie, this is my boyfriend Heinwald,” Curran introduced, “Heinwald, this is Zhu Bajie. He’s on UNA’s football team with me.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Heinwald said politely, extending his hand.

Bajie chuckled as he gripped Heinwald’s hand tightly, shaking it. Though it wasn’t his intention, his grip nearly crushed Heinwald’s hand, making him wince.

“No need to be so formal,” Bajie insisted, “But damn, you certainly are as cute as Curran was hyping you up to be.”

“You’ve been telling your friends I’m cute, Curran?” Heinwald asked, “I’m flattered.”

“I’m just stating the truth,” Curran replied, “You’re really cute, Hein.”

Heinwald blushed, “If you insist…”

“Man you guys are making me miss my boyfriend back in Taiwu,” Bajie reminisced, “I’m proud of him for getting a full ride engineering scholarship at our top university back home, but long distance can be tough sometimes.”

Heinwald was pleasantly surprised to find out that there were several more of Curran’s friends in same sex relationships. When he was in high school, he felt so alone, so alienated because of his sexual preference. Now that he was in college, it was like night and day. It seemed there were far more people who were accepting of the LGBT community here, and people in same sex relationships could be open about it without fear of being ostracized or treated like a freak. It was a breath of fresh air.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” Heinwald wondered, “Do you have any pictures with your boyfriend? I know I can’t exactly meet him because he’s on the other side of the world, but I would love to see a picture of him.”

Bajie pulled out his cellphone, showing off his lockscreen with pride. It was a selfie of him and his boyfriend at what looked to be a traditional, Taiwuese festival. His boyfriend was a bit shorter than Bajie, closer to Heinwald’s stature and figure. His face was rather serpent like, but his eyes were a beautiful shade of blue, and his long, white hair looked silky and well maintained.

“You make a cute couple,” Heinwald said.

“I miss him a lot,” Bajie confessed, “But we still call and text each other all the time, and he’s following his dream. I couldn’t be happier for him.”

“Got your beer Curran,” Ranzal said, bringing out a cold bottle and handing it to him, “And a bottle of water for you, Heinwald.”

“Thanks Ranz,” Curran replied, taking a sip.

“Curran! It’s nice to see you again!” Sinoa beamed, walking over to the living room with a small, red box in hand, “We brought over a new card game if you want to play it! It’s called ‘Red Flags’.”

“How do you play it?” Curran asked.

“Basically, you try to set up the ideal blind date for the judge by playing two white cards describing their perks,” Sinoa explained, “Say they’re a doctor, or they own a yacht, for example. But after all of the white cards have been played, the person to their left gets an opportunity to sabotage them with a ‘Red Flag.’ Like yeah the blind date may be a doctor who owns a yacht, but they’re also your first cousin.”

“Oof,” Curran grunted.

“After the sabotages, the judge has to decide which blind date they’d be most willing to go on,” Sinoa continued, “And the person with the best option wins the round.”

“Kind of sounds like Cards Against Humanity,” Curran said, “You know what, I’m down to play. How about you, Hein?”

“Sure,” Heinwald responded.

“I’m in too,” Bajie said, “Sounds like fun.”

“Same here,” Ranzal added.

They walked into the next room over, where Xainfried had set up a myriad of card and board games for guests to play. It looked like he had even brought along Betrayal at the House on the Hill, yet Heinwald doubted that it would see any play tonight. It was best enjoyed with a group of three to six people, and the sessions tended to take at least 30 minutes. Sure it was a great game to play with friends, but it wasn’t a party game. The group sat down, Amane taking a headcount of players to make sure everyone received the correct amount of cards. Xainfried moved the other boxes to the side as Sinoa opened up Red Flags, shuffling and distributing the cards to the other players and leaving the remaining decks on the center of the table.

“Need me to explain how the game works?” Xainfried asked.

“Sinoa did a pretty good job of explaining it in the living room,” Curran replied, “We just have to try to set up a good date for whoever’s judging, then try to sabotage the person to our left, right?”

“That about sums it up,” Amane smiled.

“So who judges first?” Heinwald asked.

“We like to go for someone who is single or hasn’t been on a date in a while,” Amane replied, “Usually it’s Sinoa.”

Sinoa sighed, “You guys are so mean…”

“Is anyone else single here?” she asked.

Heinwald looked around the table. He knew that Xainfried and Amane were a couple, Bajie had a boyfriend overseas, and of course, he and Curran were dating. His gaze immediately turned to Ranzal, hearing a deep groan pass his lips.

“Do hook ups count?” Ranzal wondered.

“When was your last steady partner?” she giggled.

“Guess that was with Malka back in high school.”

“Well lucky you Sinoa, looks like you won’t be the first to judge.”

Sinoa beamed with joy, “Finally!”

“So we’re trying to set someone up with Ranzal, huh?” Curran laughed, “This should be fun.”

“We’ll go clockwise after him,” Amane nodded, “Sound good to everyone?”

The group replied with nods of approval, “ok’s” and “mhm’s.”

“Hope you guys set me up with someone nice,” Ranzal joked.

Heinwald looked over his selection of cards, carefully looking for a perfect combination of traits that would satisfy Ranzal’s type. Others around the table had already begun to set down their white cards face down, making Heinwald fear he was taking too long. He plucked two from his hand, taking a leap of faith as he was the last person to play his perks. Bajie was the first to pitch his “Blind Date,” flipping over his first card.

“You’ll love the person I’ve set up for you Ranzal,” he hyped, “Not only are they a supermodel, but…”

He flipped over his second card, “Their kisses also cure cancer.”

“Sounds like a pretty sweet deal,” Ranzal laughed.

“Oh sure that sounds nice and all,” Heinwald chuckled, preparing his red, sabotage card, “But they unfortunately happen to have a piss fetish.”

Ranzal winced as the card was revealed, “Ugh, nasty.”

“There goes my hope for winning the round…” Bajie sighed.

“I’ll do you one better though,” Sinoa said, preparing to reveal her cards, “I’ve found someone for you who loves sports aaaaand…”

Flip.

“Owns a solid gold private jet.”

“I wonder how they got that private jet though,” Bajie snickered, flipping over his red flag to sabotage her, “Considering they owe the government one million dollars.”

Everyone continued to pitch their dates to Ranzal and sabotages. Thus far, the most promising looking options were Xainfried’s option, an actress who owned a time machine but was also a war of binding reinactor and Curran’s option, a famous author who owned a vineyard, but writes erotic fanfiction. At last, it came to Heinwald’s turn to reveal his cards.

“Well Ranzal,” he said, “For you, I’ve set up a wonderful date with…”

Heinwald flipped his first card.

“The world’s best hairstylist, and you won’t have to worry about any family drama because…” he continued, flipping over his second card, “Your parents love them.”

Curran started laughing his head off, smirking mischievously as he held up his red card.

“Oh Hein you set this up perfectly for me,” he chuckled, “Of course your parents love them. After all…”

Curran flipped over his red card, making Heinwald blush in embarrassment.

“They slept with one of them,” Curran said, “ _Recently_.”

“Oh god that’s really bad…” Ranzal cringed, “Yeah I think I’m gonna have to go with the fanfiction writer.”

“Sweet!” Curran beamed, taking his red flag as proof of his victory for the round.

“I still fail to see how writing erotic fanfiction is a red flag,” Heinwald sighed, “It seems pretty tame in comparison to some of the other options.”

“Eh, I guess some people just aren’t into it,” Curran replied, “Different smokes for different yolks.”

“You almost had it Curran…” Heinwald shook his head.

The group continued playing the game, going around the table to set up dates for everyone. Bajie ended up with someone who gives the best hugs and gives the “best sex ever,” but they begin every sentence with “actually,” while Sinoa got stuck with someone who owns an adorable coffee shop and was very reliable, but thinks they’re a Jedi. Xainfried found himself with the fiercely loyal owner of Mars, who just so happens to be allergic to all of his favorite foods, and Amane went with a date who drives a Porsche and their presence alone will prevent her from aging, but they only speak in motivational quotes. Curran’s round came down to a tough decision. He had a hard time deciding between the most attractive person he’d ever seen who lives in a castle, but they think they’re smarter than him, or the person who owns a private island and loves him unconditionally, but the two halves of their face don’t match. Neither of them really seemed that bad. Heinwald was way smarter than him, and Curran wasn’t ashamed to admit it. Plus with his skin condition, the right half of his face did look pretty different from the left, yet both sides were still absolutely beautiful to him.

“So, who are you going for, Curran?” Heinwald wondered.

“Hmm…” Curran pondered, “I think I’ll go for the person who owns the private island.”

“Hell yeah!” Ranzal exclaimed, “Hand it over!”

Curran passed Ranzal the red flag, who added it to his collection. Out of the six rounds they played. Curran and Ranzal had both won twice and Heinwald and Amane once each. If either of them won Heinwald’s round, it would decide the winner for the match. Like all the rounds before, the group laid out their cards, listing off their perks while the person to their left sabotaged them. Thus far, the combinations seemed a bit off-putting. Even if the perks seemed good, the sabotages that went with them were too horrible to overlook. Sinoa’s lumberjack who donated to charity looked like a perfect choice, that is, until Bajie pointed out that said lumberjack was a raging homophobe. It finally came down to his last option, Curran’s blind date.

“Ok Hein, I think you’re going to really like this guy,” Curran explained, flipping over his first card, “He owns your favorite museum, and…”

Flip.

“He can get you in anywhere you want,” Curran added, “Exclusive clubs, concerts, library restricted sections, anything. Just say the word and he’ll get you in.”

“That is very tempting,” Heinwald said.

“Don’t get too excited yet,” Xainfried laughed, “Because unfortunately this man…”

Flip.

“Stumbles over his phrases whenever he tries to look cool,” Xainfried proclaimed.

Heinwald blinked while Curran blushed bashfully. A small chuckle broke from Heinwald’s lips as he looked to Curran endearingly.

“That’s hardly a red flag,” Heinwald assured, “Curran does that all the time, and I think it’s charming.”

He kissed Curran gently on the cheek, eliciting an “aww” from both Sinoa and Amane.

“Well, I think my choice is obvious,” Heinwald said, handing the red flag card to Curran, “I’ll go out with the date Curran set up for me. He seems like a charming enough fellow.”

“Awesome! This means I won right?” Curran asked.

“We did everyone and you have the most cards,” Heinwald replied, “I believe that would ordinarily constitute a victory.”

“I was so close with the lumberjack…” Sinoa sighed, “Can we play another round?”

“Maybe later,” Ranzal said, “How about we have some cake first?”

The group cleaned up their mess, shuffling the red and white card stacks and placing them neatly back in the box before heading into the kitchen. Luca pulled a delicious looking cake with fluffy, white frosting from the fridge, the blue icing on top reading “Happy Birthday Curran.” Sylas reached into the silverware drawer, plucking matches and a few candles from within and burying them in the soft sponge. He struck a match against the spine of the box, lighting the tip aflame. The match gently tapped the twine of each candle, transferring its glowing warmth onto the waxen stick. With the last candle lit, Sylas shook the match, extinguishing the small flame and dousing it with water for good measure.

“One, two, three,” Ranzal counted down.

The room became filled with a cacophony of guests singing “Happy Birthday.” They were severely out of key, and many fell flat on the high note, but it was part of the charm of spending time with friends. The sound didn’t matter. It was the thought behind it that counted. Once the song had stopped, Curran leaned forward, blowing the candles out on his cake as everyone cheered. Luca grabbed some plastic cutlery and paper plates from the pantry, beginning to slice into the cake and handing the first piece off to Curran. To Heinwald’s surprise, the inside of the cake was a light brown. He was half expecting it to be a vanilla cake, but he didn’t exactly mind. Dessert was dessert.

“What kind of cake is it?” Heinwald wondered, taking a slice from Luca.

“Coffee,” Curran replied, his mouth full of cake, “Sorry if it’s not sweet enough for you.”

Heinwald stuck his fork into the slice of cake, pulling off a perfectly fluffy piece with a generous dollop of frosting. As the morsel past his lips, he was pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t very sweet at all, but it made the flavor of the coffee in the sponge and vanilla in the frosting seem even stronger because of it. Not just that, but the texture was remarkable as well. The cake itself was like eating a cloud, practically melting in Heinwald’s mouth, yet it still seemed moist and flavorful. Coffee was normally such a rich flavor, but in this cake, it was light and subtle, very much to Curran’s tastes.

“It’s good,” Heinwald praised, “Where did you guys get this?”

“Bajie recommended a great bakery that sells coffee flavored cakes,” Ranzal said, “I think it was called 89? It was some sort of number.”

“Close enough,” Bajie chuckled.

“Can we eat this in the living room?” Heinwald wondered, “Or would you prefer that we stay in the kitchen.”

“Heinwald this is a frat house,” Ranzal assured, “I’ve had to clean far worse stuff off of the living room carpet than cake and frosting. Go ahead.”

Curran and Heinwald walked out into the living room, enjoying the rest of their cakes as more guests trickled in and out of the party. Socializing, playing board, card, and party games, spending time with dear friends: it was certainly no crazy frat party, but Curran didn’t mind at all. He was having a great time, and the fact that Heinwald was smiling, looking perfectly at ease, enjoying himself; that was icing on the cake. Heinwald even seemed to get along with Curran’s friends and Ranzal’s frat brothers. They were talking, laughing, having fun. Prior to coming, Heinwald feared that he wouldn’t fit in, that he would be mocked for his sexual orientation, ostracized for his quirkiness. But everyone seemed to love him. They wanted to talk to him. They wanted to get to know him, to be his friend. Curran couldn’t be happier to see his reclusive boyfriend coming out of his shell like this. He loved Heinwald, and he was glad that others could now see just how lucky he was to have him.

***

As the last guests stumbled out of the party, Curran gave Ranzal a hug goodbye, thanking him for the amazing birthday party. Heinwald joined in as well. Even without drinking, the party was an absolute blast for him, and he looked forward to more like this in the future.

“Are you sure you don’t want us to stay and help clean up?” Heinwald offered.

“Nah, that’s the host’s job,” Ranzal assured, “You guys get home safe.”

Ranzal turned to Curran, winking impishly at him, “And have fun tonight.”

Curran pushed Ranzal away, slightly irritated at his teasing. Sure, he and Heinwald did have _plans_ for when they got back to their dorm, but he wasn’t too keen on Ranzal figuring out what they were. When Curran used to hook up with girls, he was fine with kissing and telling, but with Heinwald, he was a bit more selfish. He wanted to keep him all to himself, and wouldn’t even think about telling anyone their bedroom activities without Heinwald’s permission.

“We should probably head out before it gets too late then,” Curran said, “See ya at practice Ranz. Thanks again for the party.”

“Thanks for coming!” Ranzal replied.

Curran and Heinwald walked out the door and back into LV. The streets were a bit quieter considering the hour, and while it was still a relatively safe campus, Heinwald held Curran’s hand the entire way back. Not as much for protection, but more to stay close to the man he cared so much about. By the time they made it back to their dorm, Curran seemed a bit more than eager. No sooner had they gotten into their room did Curran push Heinwald against the wall, kissing him passionately. Heinwald willingly accepted the kiss, holding him close as Curran’s hands began to wander. Unlike before where Heinwald would hesitate when he was touched, he seemed to encourage it, mewling in delight whenever Curran’s hands would ghost over his erogenous zones. Just as Curran’s hand was about to slide under the fabric of Heinwald’s pants, he stopped him, pushing him back as he swallowed hard.

“Can I take a shower first?” Heinwald asked, “I just want to make sure I’m clean for you.”

“Hurry back,” Curran replied, kissing Heinwald chastely on his lips.

Heinwald grabbed his bathrobe and shower toiletries, walking out the door towards the communal showers. Curran was a bit disappointed he had to wait. Just from kissing Heinwald and feeling him up through his clothing, he was already half hard. Still, he understood and appreciated that Heinwald wanted to make sure he was clean enough, especially since this was their first time making love to each other: Heinwald’s first time in general. Curran waited with bated breath for Heinwald to come back, double-checking to make sure they had everything ready for tonight. He pulled Heinwald’s supply of lube from his nightstand drawer before raiding his own condom stash. Curran wasn’t sure how many rounds they’d be going tonight, but he figured it was better to have plenty of condoms out and ready, just in case.

The door cracked open minutes later, Heinwald walking back into the room with still damp hair. His clothes were folded up in his arms, and he wore nothing save for his bathrobe. Curran swallowed hard, walking up to Heinwald as his fingers hooked under the plush belt keeping the robe up.

“May I?” Curran asked,

“Go ahead,” Heinwald replied.

Curran untied the belt, opening up the robe as it slid off of Heinwald’s shoulder’s and onto the floor. His jaw dropped at the sight of Heinwald’s bare body. His skin looked so supple, as smooth as silk, even the areas that had been bleached pale due to his skin condition. His waist was slender and toned, yet his hips were wide and his ass round as a peach. The only body hair Curran saw on him was his black pubic hair, which was trimmed and well maintained above his half hard genitals.

“Do you like what you see?” Heinwald asked.

“You’re gorgeous,” Curran praised.

Heinwald gasped as Curran grabbed his hand, pulling it towards his own crotch. His face went red hot. Curran was already rock hard, throbbing and pulsing in want, just from the sight of Heinwald’s nude figure.

“Look what you’ve done to me babe,” he purred.

“Then how about you take off your clothes,” Heinwald whispered, “I want to see you too.”

Curran gladly complied, stripping off his clothes until they were strewn haphazardly into a pile on the floor. His body was firm and muscular, blonde chest and body hair sprouting from his lightly tanned skin. Curran’s upper body seemed to form a perfect V, his huge pectorals tapering down to his taut abs. His blonde pubic hair trailed down from just below his belly button, leading down to his erect member. Heinwald’s eyes bulged from its length and girth alone, and the swollen red tip drooled precum.

“I take it you like what you see too,” Curran growled.

“God you’re big,” Heinwald swallowed.

“You scared it’s not gonna fit?”

“No I’m excited.”

Curran exhaled as Heinwald’s hand wrapped around his warm cock, stroking it gently with his long fingers.

“I can’t wait to have this inside of me,” Heinwald cooed.

“Fuck,” Curran cursed, “You’re so sexy Hein.”

“My bed or yours?”

“You choose. I’m just excited to finally be doing this with you.”

Heinwald’s eyes darted from Curran’s bed to his. As expected, Curran’s bed wasn’t even made, the sheets sloppily pulled up to the pillow, a silhouette of sweat seeped into them. He knew that sex was meant to be a hot and steamy fit of passion, but Heinwald wasn’t so certain about starting it while lying down in a puddle of sweat.

“Let’s do it on my bed,” Heinwald said.

Curran grabbed the condoms and lube as they proceeded to Heinwald’s bed. Even though they were on the seventh floor and it was completely dark out, Heinwald’s modesty compelled him to close the curtains. He wanted his body to be a sight for Curran alone to enjoy. Curran pushed him down onto the twin-sized bed. It was cramped, and Heinwald could already feel a sweat coming on, but he didn’t mind. The less room he had, the closer he would be to Curran.

Curran took the lead in their foreplay, having the upper hand of experience, and kissed Heinwald passionately as his hands wandered down his body. Heinwald wrapped his arms around him, whimpering as Curran gently stimulated him. His hips bucked against the man on top of him, their leaking cocks grinding together for want of friction. Curran’s lips pulled away from Heinwald’s, peppering kisses down his neck, his collarbone, his chest. They locked around one of his pert nipples, suckling on the sensitive nub as moans spilled from Heinwald’s mouth.

“You’re really sensitive, huh Hein,” Curran teased.

“I guess so,” Heinwald panted, “Oh god don’t stop.”

“And needy too. I like that.”

Heinwald didn’t have time to pout or retort against Curran’s remark, as Curran gently teethed at his nipple, rolling the other between his fingers. Whenever Heinwald touched himself, he normally ignored his nipples, completely unaware of how sensitive an erogenous zone they were, of how much pleasure he could get just from having them played with. Curran eventually pulled away, trailing his tongue down Heinwald’s stomach, all the way to his groin. Heinwald’s breath hitched as he felt the press of Curran’s lips against his member, his length soon dipping past into the warmth of his mouth. His tongue swirled against his shaft, Curran’s head bobbing up and down as he lapped at the smooth length. Heinwald bit down on his upper lip. This pleasure sent sparks whirring behind his eyes, lit a fire in his groin. He felt like he was floating, but feared his release would come too soon.

“Wait,” Heinwald whimpered, “It’s too intense.”

“Hm?” Curran wondered, pulling off of Heinwald’s dick, “I thought you said you’ve done oral before.”

“I’ve only ever given head. I’ve never had someone else suck me off before… I was always worried they’d be disgusted…”

Curran was shocked. Not reciprocating oral always seemed selfish in Curran’s eyes. Now that he thought about it, back when he accidentally peeped on Heinwald giving Ranzal head, he turned down Ranzal’s offer to get sucked off, and asked to be eaten out instead. It sounded like whoever he had given head to before must have planted that thought in his mind, and it was Curran’s job to convince him that it wasn’t true, that he was happy to pleasure him.

“Honestly Hein, your cock tastes better than half of the girls I’ve eaten out before,” Curran confessed, “I like doing this for you. Especially when I get to hear your cute moans.”

“You’re pretty skilled at this,” Heinwald blushed, “If I hadn’t stopped you I might have came in your mouth.”

“Do you want me to continue then?”

“Thank you for offering, but I’d rather cum from this.”

Heinwald’s hand cupped Curran’s cock, his hand gently caressing the pulsing heat. Curran hissed as Heinwald’s fingers wrapped around him, jacking him off as he dove in for another kiss. No sooner had they separated did Curran grab the lube, pushing Heinwald down into the bed and spreading his legs. His hole was a soft pink, the gentle pucker twitching in need. Curran uncapped the lid on the lubricant, coating his fingers and pressing one against Heinwald’s entrance. Heinwald shivered as the digit slowly pressed inside.

“You feeling ok?” Curran asked, gently massaging his insides, “It doesn’t hurt, does it?”

“I’m fine,” Heinwald panted, “You can add another one.”

As Curran slid his second finger inside, he felt Heinwald’s insides clench around him as his digit grazed his prostate. Heinwald cried out in pleasure, a shiver going up his spine.

“Right there,” he begged, “Touch me right there.”

Curran pressed into the sensitive gland once more, relishing in the sight of Heinwald writhing in pleasure underneath him. If he was feeling this good just from Curran’s fingers, Curran couldn’t wait to see how he’d react once he slid his dick inside.

“Looks like you’re nice and relaxed,” Curran purred, “Can I put it in now?”

“I think so,” Heinwald breathed, “Just, please be gentle.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Curran pulled his slick fingers out of Heinwald’s hole, tearing open a condom and sliding the rubber down his length. He opted for the ones with extra lube, just to make sure it would go in easily. As he positioned the tip at Heinwald’s entrance, both took a deep breath. Heinwald’s heart nearly jumped out of his chest as the blunt tip grazed his rim, teasing it to ease him open. His body tensed as it began to press in, the stretch making tears prick at the corner of his eyes. It hurt. It hurt a lot.

“Just relax,” Curran cooed, wiping away Heinwald’s tears, “I’ll go nice and slow. I’m not gonna hurt you.”

Heinwald nodded his head, putting his faith in Curran. Still, even if the pain were unbearable, Heinwald would try his best to hold back his tears and bite his tongue. He desperately wanted to go all the way with Curran. He had yearned for this for so long, and refused to let the opportunity go. As Curran pressed in, the strain on Heinwald’s rim was excruciating. It felt like he was being ripped open, like a hundred needles were stabbing his insides. He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, his hands balling into tight fists against the sheets.

“Hein, you’re clenching a lot,” Curran grunted, “Are you sure you’re ok?”

“I’m fine, just keep going!” Heinwald begged through gritted teeth.

Curran had only barely gotten the tip in, yet Heinwald feared he would pass out from the pain. Maybe he should have prepared himself better. Maybe he should have done more research. He wanted this, but this pain was too much.

“It…” he choked out, tears spilling from his eyes, “It hurts…”

Curran immediately pulled out, noticing blood speckling the condom. He spread Heinwald’s cheeks, his pink hole now swollen and red from irritation.

“Oh my god,” Curran worried, “Hein, why didn’t you tell me sooner that you were in pain?”

“I didn’t want to ruin the mood,” Heinwald sighed, “Put it back in. I can handle it.”

“I could barely even get the tip in, Heinwald. I think we should stop for now.”

Heinwald’s pupils shrunk. He felt so disappointed in himself, especially considering how much he was looking forward to this.

“Get on your back,” Heinwald said, “Maybe if I ride you, it will go in easier.”

“I mean you can try,” Curran sighed, “I just don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Curran reluctantly swapped places with him, Heinwald now straddling Curran’s groin in an attempt to ease himself down onto his length. He grit his teeth, the tip of Curran’s cock sinking past his inflamed rim. It hurt even more than before.

“Ow… ow, ow, ow...” he hissed, “Damn, why won’t it go in…”

“Hein, get off of me,” Curran pleaded, “I can’t do this. Not of it’s causing you so much pain.”

“I just have to push through it. Once it’s in I’ll…”

“I’ve already gone soft.”

Heinwald looked down at Curran’s cock. His dick, once hard and throbbing, was now completely flaccid. Heinwald hung his head in shame. He didn’t care about the pain from his bleeding hole anymore; the ache in his heart made it feel like nothing.

“I’m sorry,” he cried, “I’m sorry for ruining this Curran…”

“Woah, babe, don’t cry,” Curran assured, wiping away his tears, “You didn’t ruin anything.”

“But I did! I… I couldn’t even fit the tip inside of me… I’m sorry… I’m so sorry for disappointing you.”

Curran kissed him gently, pulling him in close to cuddle with him.

“You don’t need to apologize to me,” he cooed, “You didn’t disappoint me at all, Hein.”

“I couldn’t do it…” Heinwald sniffled, “I thought I was ready but I still couldn’t handle it… And you were probably looking forward to this too… God knows I was…”

“Heinwald, I can’t get off if it hurts you. And who cares that we couldn’t go all the way tonight? We can do some research, ask for some advice, practice stretching you out more, and then when you’re finally ready to, we can try again.”

“I wasn’t expecting it to hurt that much… Curran, I’m scared. I’m scared that no matter how much I prepare myself, I’ll never be ready.”

“There’s no rush. I said it before and I’ll say it again: you set the pace.”

Heinwald nuzzled against Curran’s chest. Even though he had since gone soft as well, he still enjoyed cuddling with Curran, their bare bodies huddled close together.

“Are you sure?” Heinwald worried.

“Positive,” Curran replied, “Sex should be something we both can enjoy. If doing it right now means causing you pain, I’d be more than happy to wait until you’re completely comfortable.”

“I… I’m going to try to do some more research myself. Maybe order a plug or a toy to get me used to the sensation.”

“That might be a good idea. I’ll ask Ranzal and Bajie for some advice. They both have experience sleeping with other guys, so I’m sure they’d be able and willing to help. That is, if you don’t mind me telling them a bit about our sex life.”

“Why would I care? It seemed pretty obvious that Ranzal knew what we were going to be doing tonight… or at the very least, attempting to do.”

“Point taken. But Hein, please don’t beat yourself up over this. I’m just happy being with you. I love you.”

“I love you too, Curran.”

Curran cupped Heinwald’s cheek, kissing him and brushing his white bangs out of his eyes. The crimson of his irises seemed even more vibrant after crying, but even so, Curran would much rather see him smiling. He only wanted the best for his boyfriend, to make him happy, to make him feel loved. Heinwald’s lashes fluttered as he hugged Curran tight, resting his head on his chest.

“If it’s ok with you, can we keep cuddling like this?” Heinwald asked, “I like being close to you.”

Curran chuckled, running his fingers through his hair, “I’d like that a lot.”


	16. Chapter 16

“Curran! Heads up!” Bajie shouted.

Bajie arched his arm backwards, building momentum as he tossed the football across the field to his teammate. Curran sprinted to catch the ball, yet as he lunged forward, it slipped through his hands like butter, fumbling the catch. The screeching blare of coach Victor’s whistle made Curran wince. With Victor’s Spartan training, he knew that he’d probably have a hellish punishment to deal with, but he couldn’t keep his head in the game for the life of him. He couldn’t stop thinking about his and Heinwald’s attempted first time the week before. Sure, Heinwald was probably healed up by now, but guilt still settled in the pit of his stomach, heavy as lead and just as poisonous. Even if it was unintentional, he had hurt Heinwald. He made him cry, made him bleed, heaving physical and emotional duress onto the person he cared the most about.

“Curran, what the hell was that?” Victor scolded, “That was a straight shot if I’ve ever seen one. I expected better from you.”

“I’m sorry coach,” Curran sighed, “Two laps around the field or three?”

“Don’t go jumping to conclusions boy. Is something the matter? You’ve looked pretty out of it all practice.”

Curran swallowed hard. This was bad if even his stoic coach was noticing.

“Just a bit of relationship trouble, that’s all,” Curran confessed, “I’m sure if I keep practicing it’ll take my mind off of things.”

Victor rubbed his chin, his glance shifting from Curran to the other teammates, still milling on the field. Several other players were starting to look a little restless as well, and practice was almost over anyway. Victor may be a strict coach, but he wasn’t heartless, and if one of his strongest players was in a slump, he wasn’t going to come down hard on him. Situations like this required mercy, council, civility.

“That’s enough for tonight,” Victor shouted, “You’re all free to go.”

The team started to disperse, taking off their helmets as they headed to the locker room. Just as Curran was about to join them, he felt two hands on his shoulders, turning around to see his friends Ranzal and Bajie.

“Wanna grab some pizza at Rovetelle’s?” Ranzal offered, “It’s on me.”

“Heh, what’s got you feeling so generous Ranz?” Curran asked.

“You wear your heart on your sleeve man,” Ranzal said, “It’s pretty obvious that something’s got you feeling down.”

Curran rubbed the back of his neck, “I dunno. I should probably get back to the dorm.”

“Heinwald can come too if he wants,” Ranzal said, “Want me to shoot him a text and invite him?”

Curran paused, an idea striking him. Ranzal had dated a guy in high school, and Bajie had a boyfriend overseas. Maybe they could give him some advice. Online research could only get him so far. If he had two friends who had more experience coaching him through, he might get a better understanding of how to pleasure Heinwald without hurting him.

“Actually, I’ll take you up on your offer,” Curran replied, “But can we not invite Heinwald? I think it would be better if it’s just the three of us.”

“Did you guys get in a fight?” Bajie asked.

“No it’s…” Curran said, “Well, I’ll just explain it to you guys when we get to Rovetelle’s.”

The three headed into the locker rooms, changing out of their sweat soaked uniforms, quickly rinsing off in the showers, and throwing on their street clothes. Once they were all dressed and ready, they left the football field, heading into LV and towards the staple pizza restaurant. A “please seat yourself” sign was positioned near the entrance, so the three opted for an empty table near the back. Ranzal probably chose it because it had the best view of the television out of all of the available tables, but Curran was grateful that they had a bit of privacy.

“You wanna order some beer for the table?” Bajie suggested.

“A part of me wants to say yes,” Curran said, “But I’ve gotta feeling Heinwald will get pissed at me for drinking on a school night.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot most freshman have classes on Fridays,” Bajie cackled, “I do not miss those.”

“I might pass too, but you can order some if you want, Bajie,” Ranzal replied.

“Then don’t mind if I do,” Bajie smiled, “You guys ok with meat lovers?”

“Hell yeah,” Ranzal said.

The three sat down their menus and flagged down a waiter, ordering their pizza and drinks. As soon as the waiter left, Curran sighed, clasping his hands together bashfully. He used to talk with his friends all the time about his bedroom activities, but that was back when he thought he was straight, and when he actually knew how to pleasure his partner.

“So,” Ranzal asked, “What’s got you feeling down? Everything going alright with you and Heinwald?”

“Well, yes and no,” Curran explained, “I really like him, and it’s pretty clear he feels the same for me but… wow this is embarrassing…”

“What is?” Bajie wondered.

“Well…” Curran bit his lip, “Heinwald and I… kinda tried to go all the way last week.”

“Oh, congrats!” Bajie praised, “But wait, did it not go well or something?”

“Not at all…” Curran sighed, “I made him _bleed._ ”

“Oh fuck, is he ok?” Ranzal asked.

“I think he should be fine by now,” Curran said, “We stopped as soon as I noticed he was in pain.”

“How far did you go?” Bajie wondered.

“I could barely get the tip in,” Curran explained, “He was really tight… and that’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you guys, just the three of us. I know you both have experience with other guys. Can I get some advice? I don’t want to end up hurting him again.”

“Of course Curran,” Ranzal assured.

The waiter returned to their table, setting down their drinks. Curran was thankful for his timing. He didn’t want some stranger overhearing about how he was having a hard time pleasuring his boyfriend. Curran took a sip of his soda, setting it back down on the table and wiping his mouth.

“So,” Ranzal said, “I think it might be best if you just explain what happened. That way Bajie and I can pinpoint what might have gone wrong.”

“Well,” Curran explained, “He took a shower beforehand to clean himself up, and we made sure to use condoms and lube, but when I tried to put it in it, he was just so damn tight… I couldn’t get it in.”

“Did you do any foreplay?” Bajie asked, “Maybe he wasn’t relaxed enough.”

“I kissed him a lot, sucked him off, and fingered him,” Curran said, “It looked like he was feeling pretty good until I tried to put it in.”

“Wait, how many fingers did you use?” Ranzal wondered.

“Two,” Curran responded.

“Yeah that might not have been enough,” Ranzal confessed, “I’d get him used to at least three if I were you, especially if it’s his first time.”

“You might have needed to use some more lube too,” Bajie added, “Trust me, you need a lot more than you’d expect.”

“I used a lubed condom. Is that not enough?” Curran asked.

“Well, I mean it doesn’t hurt,” Bajie explained, “But you gotta keep in mind a guy’s ass doesn’t get wet on its own. You need to make sure he’s really slick with lube or it will end up hurting both of you.”

“You know, it wouldn’t hurt to just get him used to being fingered,” Ranzal suggested, “Nerves has a lot to do with it. If he goes in thinking it’s gonna hurt, he’s gonna tense up and make it harder to go in. Getting him used to it will help him be less afraid.”

“Hein mentioned something to me about getting some toys to practice with,” Curran mentioned.

“That should help a lot,” Bajie said, “Wujing’s a big fan of toys. The fact that he uses them so often made things a hell of a lot easier for our first time.”

“And when Malka and I were still together, we took our time to get him used to it,” Ranzal added.

“Any other advice you guys can give me?” Curran asked, “Hein felt really bad that we didn’t go all the way. Even though I told him it was no big deal and I was fine with taking it slow, I’m still worried I might have done something to make him think otherwise. I just want to make sure he feels good, that he knows how much I care about him.”

“Well the fact that you actually stopped when you noticed he was in pain is a pretty obvious sign that you care about him,” Ranzal said, “The only other thing I can tell you is take your time and let him set the pace. And that goes for when you finally decide to try again too. Taking it slow and letting him adjust to it gradually will make it feel a lot better for both of you.”

“I’m with Ranzal on this,” Bajie said, “Besides, even if you don’t try anal for a while, there are plenty of other intimate things you can do with him.”

“Thanks for your help guys,” Curran replied earnestly, “I think I’ve got a better grasp on this now. You’re the best.”

“No problem! Hope everything works out for you guys!” Bajie smiled.

“Sorry for the wait,” the waiter interjected, approaching the table with their pizza, “Got an extra large meat lovers for you. Enjoy.”

The waiter set the pizza down in the middle of the table, its cheese still bubbling as steam rose from the pie.

“Sweet, grub’s here!” Ranzal cheered, grabbing a piece.

The cheese stretched like elastic as he pulled the slice of pizza onto his plate, making Curran’s stomach grumble. He was pretty hungry after practice, and couldn’t say no to helping himself, especially since the pizza was Ranzal’s treat.

“Well then, I’m gonna dig in too,” Curran said, taking a slice for himself.

***

Heinwald closed the door to his dormitory behind him, a cardboard box in his hands. He immediately locked the door behind him, ripping open the package to pry out its contents within: a silicon anal plug. Heinwald was no stranger to sex toys. He had ordered several in the past, mostly for novelty, but he was ashamed to admit he had never actually used any of them before. Nerves always somehow got the better of him before he could ever try any of them out. Whether it was fear that it would hurt or that his father would walk in on him using them, Heinwald always seemed to get cold feet. But not anymore. If he could slowly get used to having something penetrate him, if he could find a way to overwrite the fear of pain for the anticipation of pleasure, he’d finally be able to offer up his virginity to the man he truly loved.

He walked over to his bed, opening the drawer to his nightstand to fish out his lube. Curran was still at football practice, so now was as good a time as ever to start training his ass. He stripped off his pants, coating his fingers in lube as he slowly massaged himself open. Heinwald bit his lip. It seemed easier to press a finger inside than before. This was already a good sign, but he’d need to stretch himself even more if he wanted to be able to take the plug, let alone Curran. As he added his a second finger, the digit brushed against his sensitive prostate, making a moan spill past his lips. It felt good, but he still worried it wasn’t enough. His ass had only just recovered from his tragic first attempt at anal. It would be horrible to damage it yet again. Maybe he should try a third finger, maybe a fourth. He wanted to be ready, but his fear of pain still lingered, towering before him like a daunting mountain whose peak would never be reached.

Before he could decide whether to proceed or not, he heard the faint click of his door unlocking. Curran was home earlier than expected. He didn’t even have time to put his toy away before the door opened, Curran walking inside to find his lover with two fingers buried in his ass.

“Knocking would have been nice,” Heinwald sighed.

“Sorry,” Curran laughed, “Honey I’m home!”

Heinwald sat up in his bed and shook his head, already starting to pull his pants back up.

“Hey don’t stop for my sake, babe,” Curran assured.

“Ah yes, because having my lover walk in on me masturbating isn’t tacky in the slightest,” Heinwald said sarcastically, putting away his toy and lube, “How was football practice?”

“It was good. I grabbed some dinner with Ranzal and Bajie afterwards. You hungry? I brought a slice of pizza back for you.”

Curran lifted up a small box, showing off the greasy slice contained within. Heinwald pushed it away, slightly disgusted by all of the oil drenching through the cardboard.

“I appreciate the offer Curran, but you can have it,” Heinwald sighed, “I’m unfortunately not too fond of Rovetelle’s. Their pizza is far too greasy for my taste.”

“Suit yourself,” Curran shrugged, “By the way, do you have any plans this weekend? I’d love to take you out again. I really want to make up for last week.”

“Well, I do have a test next Friday… I should probably be studying for it.”

“Come on Hein, that’s a whole week away.”

“Why do I have a gut feeling that you have some sort of assignment due on Monday and you’re simply using a date as an excuse to go out.”

Curran froze. Heinwald was too good.

“How do you do that?” Curran asked.

“I feel it would be only natural to notice patterns in my lover’s mannerisms,” Heinwald replied, “You’re very quick to bribe when you want to get out of work.”

“Well, I do have a French quiz on Tuesday…”

“I knew it.”

“But I’m not asking you out to get out of work! I know you really like spicy foods, so I was thinking about taking you down to Little Hinomoto on Saturday for ramen. There’s this restaurant down there that sells a crazy spicy ramen called the Crimson Phoenix. Thought you might want to try it out.”

“Hmm, that is tempting.”

“Then maybe afterwards, we could hit the arcades, do some karaoke… I think it would be a lot of fun!”

“It does sound like fun. But if I agree, then I want to come to some sort of compromise about your studies. I may be your boyfriend, but I’m also your tutor, and it is my responsibility to see you do well in your classes.”

“Fine, lay it on me.”

“We’ll go out to Little Hinomoto on Saturday, but in exchange we spend the whole day Sunday studying for your quiz. Sound fair to you?”

“Yeah that’s fair.”

“Well then, I’m looking forward to Saturday.”

***

“Little Hinomoto,” the train conductor announced, “We’ll be arriving at our next stop in Little Hinomoto shortly.”

Curran and Heinwald stood up from their seats, walking downstairs to prepare to disembark the train. Little Hinomoto was quite a bit further away from downtown New Alberia, so Heinwald suggested they take the metro instead. It was far cheaper, faster, and more comfortable than taking the bus. The train came to a smooth stop, its doors sliding open at the Little Hinomoto station. The outskirts of the town didn’t look too different from New Alberia, but as they walked further in, they began to notice more restaurants and shops with Hinomotoan names, more eastern style architecture and monuments. Curran pulled out his phone, double-checking the names of the restaurants they passed.

“What’s the name of the place we’re looking for?” Heinwald asked.

“Oh there it is!” Curran exclaimed, “Ben Zai Ten, Hinomoto Ramen.”

Even though it was only 11 AM, a huge crowd was already forming near the restaurant’s entrance. The pair queued up in line, inching forward until they finally got to the hostess.

“How many in your party?” she asked.

“Just two,” Curran replied.

“We’re currently looking at a 45 minute wait if you want to sit inside,” she explained, “But if you’re fine with sitting at the counter or on the patio, it’ll only be about 25.”

“Is that ok with you, Heinwald?” Curran asked.

“It doesn’t matter to me,” Heinwald replied.

“We’ll just take whatever is first available,” Curran said.

“Perfect,” the hostess smiled, “Please write your name and phone number on this list and we’ll text you as soon as your table is ready.”

Curran and Heinwald stepped away from the podium, allowing the people behind them to put their names in as well. They had a good half hour to kill before lunch, but even though Curran had given them his number, he still didn’t think it would be wise to stray too far from the restaurant. He looked around curiously, trying to find somewhere he and Heinwald could sit down and hang out that wasn’t the overly crowded storefront. Suddenly, he spotted a store across the street, the sign above reading “Sparkle Gold Sugar.” The patrons leaving seemed to be exiting with large glasses of a familiar looking drink, the wide, cylindrical straws indicating exactly what kind of goods the store sold.

“Hein,” Curran suggested, “I think there’s a boba shop across the street. Want to get some tea while we wait?”

“That sounds great,” he smiled, “Let’s check it out.”

They walked over to the stoplight, crossing the street and heading over to the boba shop. Curran held the door open for Heinwald, who immediately grabbed a menu from the counter to peruse their drink options. The store itself had pictures of some of their drinks on display, and a blackboard listed their top ten most popular items. It appeared this place, like Honeycups back in LV, also sold snacks, but they seemed to be mostly sweet treats served in Hinomotoan cafes, like honeytoast and soufflé pancakes. Any other time, Heinwald would have gladly ordered one of these desserts, but he wanted to save some room for ramen.

“What are you thinking about getting Hein?” Curran asked.

“I’m looking at that Cosmic Dream,” Heinwald said, “It’s a mango and passionfruit tea with five different kinds of boba and jelly in it.”

“Oh, is that the one in that picture on the wall?” Curran asked, pointing to one of the framed displays.

Heinwald turned to look at the photo. He was interested from the description alone, but the picture sealed the deal. The way the boba and jellies were arranged made the drink form a beautiful rainbow, and the slushy, crushed ice on top made it look even more refreshing.

“That’s it,” Heinwald replied, “I’m absolutely getting that.”

Heinwald walked up to the cashier, ordering the drink and paying for it. The inside of the boba shop had a few customers sitting inside, H-Pop playing on the radio, and crisp air conditioner keeping the room at a comfortable temperature. Even if he wasn’t ordering anything, Curran wouldn’t mind relaxing in here until their number was called. He sat down at one of the unoccupied tables, watching as Heinwald waited for his drink. Much to Curran’s surprise, the drink that came out looked just as good as it did in the picture. It just showed how much they valued quality in this store. Heinwald poked his straw through the sealed plastic lid, taking a sip of the vibrant drink as he joined Curran at the table.

“How is it?” Curran wondered.

“I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to have Honeycups again,” Heinwald praised, “This blows all of their drinks out of the water.”

“You’re not gonna make me commute all the way down here for your boba payments are you?”

“I wouldn’t even think of it. If I’m really desperate for boba, I’ll take anything. But I might want to come down here more often for dates. This is just way too good.”

“You’re gonna keep hyping it up and not let me have a sip?”

“Fine, but you only get one.”

Heinwald held the cup out to Curran, his lips locking around the straw. Curran was amazed at how good the drink tasted. He always found the drinks at Honeycups too sweet and creamy, but this was light, refreshing. It almost tasted like a tropical lemonade. The boba inside of it still had that strange mouthfeel he wasn’t used to, but the jelly was a nice touch.

“You know what,” Curran said, “I think I’m gonna order one for myself.”

“I never thought I’d see the day where you’d be drinking something so sweet and fruity,” Heinwald teased, “Have I rubbed off on you that much?”

“One sweet drink once in a while won’t hurt me. I’m not gonna make a habit of it. It’ll ruin my abs if I do.”

“I don’t know. I think you’d look pretty hot with a dad bod, Curran.”

“Tell me that in ten years and we’ll see.”

Heinwald continued sipping his drink, waiting as Curran ordered the same drink for himself. His drink wasn’t as pretty as when he ordered, the colors of the different kinds of boba starting to blend together after a few sips, but it still tasted delicious nonetheless. Maybe he should have taken a picture of it, to remember this moment for later, maybe even show his sister. It was something she’d love, but then again, his father might give him a hard time if he ever found out. Ever since Heinwald came out as gay, his father watched everything Heinwald did like a hawk. Anything he did that seemed to “overtly homosexual” would earn Heinwald a brutal lecture. Even something as small as ordering a rainbow colored drink like the one he just had would make his father blow a gasket. His homophobia knew no bounds, and it put Heinwald under far too much unnecessary stress. It was tough being considered the family’s “dirty little secret.”

“Hey Hein, I just got a text from the ramen place,” Curran said, taking a sip of his own drink, “It looks like they can take us ear- wait are you ok?”

“Hm?” Heinwald wondered, “Yeah I’m fine. Why would you think I’m not?”

“I dunno. You just looked kinda down.”

“Oh well… I guess I just had kind of a depressing intrusive thought. I’ll get over it.”

“You wanna talk about it?”

“Not particularly. It’s more of a family issue. I’m a bit worried about how my father will react to finding out that I have a boyfriend.”

“Family huh… You know Hein, the more I learn about your dad, about how horrible he makes you feel about yourself, the more I hate his guts.”

“Curran.”

“Look I know it’s out of place for me to say that, but how do you expect me to react? He makes you feel like garbage! I don’t care if he’s your old man. Just seeing how much he’s hurt you pisses me the hell off…”

“Curran, you don’t need to get mad on my behalf. Yes, my father isn’t the best person, I will concede that. He’s a homophobic bully who cares more about preserving his wealth and reputation than the happiness of his own children. But when I’m with you he doesn’t matter. Please Curran. Let’s not let him ruin this date for us. Let’s just enjoy the moment.”

Curran set down his drink on the table, giving Heinwald a gentle kiss.

“I love you so much,” Curran cooed, “You know that right?”

“Of course I do,” Heinwald replied, “And I love you too.”

“You don’t have to tell your dad about us if you don’t want to babe. I’m here for you no matter what happens.”

“Thank you Curran.”

“Now come on. Let’s head over to Ben Zai Ten. There’s a bowl of spicy ramen with your name on it.”

Heinwald smiled gently as Curran caressed his cheek. He was so in love with him, and there was no way he’d ever let his father ruin this for him.

“Sure,” he beamed, “Let’s go.”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut at the end of the chapter

Curran and Heinwald walked past the curtain divider leading into the restaurant, being greeted with a loud “irashaimasen” by the employees. The hostess led them over to the counter, setting their menus, an order sheet, and a pencil down on the polished wood surface as the two took their seats. Heinwald half expected the counter area to be more like a bar section, yet instead, they were practically looking right into the kitchen. Ramen chefs boiled noodles and sifted stock right in front of them, plating the steaming bowls of savory goodness with the utmost finesse. It was almost mesmerizing to watch.

“Your server will be with you shortly,” she said before quickly returning to her podium.

Heinwald opened up his menu. Though he was almost certain he would get that spicy ramen Curran had hyped up for him, he still wanted to see his options. While the first page listed several signature noodle dishes, The Crimson Phoenix included, the rest of the menu was mostly comprised of topping options. He set down his menu and looked over to Curran, who was now scribbling his order onto the sheet of paper provided to them.

“Curran,” Heinwald wondered, “Why are you writing it down? Isn’t a server going to take our orders?”

“Oh I forgot to mention, we write down what we want to order on here,” Curran explained, “Lots of people get the build your own tonkotsu ramen option, so it’s just easier for them to have the customers write down everything they want on it. Are you gonna do a custom ramen too?”

“I think I’ll still go for the Crimson Phoenix. It has all the toppings I would have wanted anyway.”

“Gotcha.”

Curran wrote down Heinwald’s order in the box marked number 2, “tonkotsu” written above in the first box. In addition to having boxes to indicate how many of each optional topping they wanted, the sheet also listed options for the base of the soup itself.

“How firm do you want your noodles?” Curran asked, checking his own box, “Hard, normal, or soft?”

“Normal please,” Heinwald replied.

“Soup base strength?”

“Strong.”

“Amount of oil?”

“Light.”

“Ok. Looks like we’re good to go!”

Curran set down the sheet of paper and his pencil, just in time for the waiter to come by to pick up their order.

“Hello, welcome to Ben Zai Ten,” he said, “Is there anything I can get you to drink?”

“Just water for me,” Heinwald ordered.

“I’ll take a coke,” Curran said, handing off the sheet.

The waiter wrote their drink orders down on the piece of paper, reading their ramen orders aloud to ensure they were correct.

“Ok so for number one we’ve got a large tonkotsu with firm noodles, strong soup base, and normal oil,” the waiter read, “Number two a Crimson Phoenix with normal noodles, strong soup base, and light oil, and for side toppings we have one flavored egg, one extra order of chashu, one miso bomb, one order of crispy onions, and one order of bean sprouts.”

“Yup, sounds correct,” Curran replied.

“Wonderful,” the waiter replied, “I’ll have your drinks out soon.”

The waiter retreated to the corner divide of the counter, handing the order sheet back to the chefs. Heinwald couldn’t wait to try this ramen out. The rich smell of the tonkotsu pork broth practically wafted throughout the restaurant as the chefs cooked, and every time a bowl was brought out to a happy patron, Heinwald’s mouth watered. The waiter quickly returned with their drinks, setting them down with straws in front of the two.

“So Hein,” Curran asked, taking a sip of his drink, “I know it’s a ways away, but do you have any plans for spring break?”

“Not that I can think of,” Heinwald replied, “Why do you ask?”

“Well, Ranzal told me his frat normally rents a beach house for it and they spend the week relaxing by the shores of southern Alberia. He said I’m more than welcome to come along, and of course you can come too. We’d just have to pitch in a little money to help cover the rental fee.”

“That does sound like fun, but I am going to have to ask my father first… especially if it’s something I need to pay for…”

“So I’m guessing it’s a no…”

“Don’t get me wrong Curran. I really want to go… Who knows, maybe my father will have a change of heart and let me go with you.”

“So if he says no, are you just going back to your place for Spring break?”

“Well, it’ll only be for a week. Far more bearable than the two months for summer.”

“Want me to come with you?”

Heinwald almost choked on his water. Having Curran around would certainly make a week back home more enjoyable, but at the same time, he feared that his father would do something to push him away. Even if they did hide the fact that they were dating from him, Heinwald’s father would still find something to nitpick. He would never be satisfied.

“Actually,” Heinwald sighed, “Maybe it would just be better if I go back alone. Trust me Curran, it’s nothing against you… it’s…”

“You don’t have to explain why to me, Hein,” Curran assured, “You’ve already told me what your dad is like.”

“I wouldn’t want him to insult you. Knowing him, he probably would… Plus we’d have to hide the fact that we’re dating.”

“It’s ok Hein. I understand. Let’s just hope for the best.”

The waiter soon returned with a tray full of toppings and two piping hot bowls of ramen. Heinwald was oddly surprised at how light the color of his soup was. Given that he had ordered a dish with a “Diablo bomb” mixed in, he expected the broth to take on at least an orangey hue, if not red. His curiosity was sated when the waiter set down the tray of toppings, all of the ones listed on Heinwald’s dish contained within small dishes. Perhaps they did this so he could control the level of spice in his ramen, but he was no coward. As soon as they waiter had left, both he and Curran began dumping their add ons into their bowls, stirring the broth to melt the bouillon balls of spices or seasonings. While Curran’s soup hardly changed colors, Heinwald’s broth went bright red, the spice so potent he could practically smell it.

“Looks good,” Heinwald said, breaking his bamboo chopsticks to separate them.

Heinwald dipped his spoon into the rich, now vibrantly red liquid, slurping up the still piping hot spoonful. The second the broth touched his tongue, he could feel his nose beginning to run and his face growing hot. Even with his high spice tolerance, this ramen had a pretty potent kick to it. Yet even as he found himself sweating from the fiery heat, he couldn’t get enough. The rich flavor of the broth and springiness of the noodles was too good to pass up. The additional toppings also meshed perfectly with the spiciness of the soup; the fatty chashu pork that melted in his mouth with each bite, the crunchy tenkatsu that floated atop the broth, the fresh green onions and tart pickled ginger. This was one of the best meals he had ever eaten.

“Wow, I’ve never seen you eat so fast,” Curran said, “You must really like your ramen.”

Heinwald looked down at his bowl, noticing he had already made a considerable dent in his meal.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” he apologized, “I didn’t mean to be rude and eat so quickly…”

“You’re not being rude at all. There’s nothing wrong with eating fast, especially when you’re enjoying your meal.”

“It is delicious. I don’t know if I’ll even be able to eat instant ramen after trying this. It blows it out of the water. How’s yours, Curran?”

“Really good. You wanna try some?”

“May I?”

Curran flooded his spoon with broth and noodles, blowing on it to cool it down before holding it out for Heinwald to taste. Heinwald locked his lips around the spoon, slurping down the savory sample. It was very mild, but the broth was still creamy and rich, with plenty of umami from Curran’s miso bomb and added sesame oil.

“Hmm,” he said, “With a few spoonfuls of chili paste it would be perfect. Would you care to try some of mine?”

Curran looked down to the vibrant broth within Heinwald’s bowl, swallowing hard. His spice tolerance was nothing to write home about, but at the same time, he wanted to impress Heinwald.

“Sure,” Curran replied.

Heinwald gathered a spoonful of soup and noodles from his bowl, raising it up to Curran’s lips. Reluctantly, Curran opened his mouth, sipping the vibrant broth and slurping up the noodles. To his surprise, the spice didn’t seem that bad. It was actually very flavorful and delicious. But then, it hit him. His face went bright red as the Crimson Phoenix’s spice blend hit him full force, setting his tongue ablaze and knocking the wind out of him.

“HOT!” Curran screamed, reaching for his soda in a desperate attempt to quench the fire on his palate.

Heinwald felt bad, but he couldn’t help but chuckle at the situation.

“Curran,” he snickered, “Are you ok there?”

“God that’s spicy…” he hissed, wiping his mouth after draining his cup of soda, “How can you handle that? Are you even human?”

“Oh did you not know? I’m actually an Eldritch abomination of unbridled chaos. This human form is merely a disguise to lure unassuming men to their doom.”

“Very funny… Damn I might need to order some milk. That was way too spicy…”

“Just take my water Curran. It looks like you clearly need it.”

Curran grabbed Heinwald’s water, downing the rest of the ice-cold beverage. The redness on his cheeks finally started to fade as the spice was washed away from his palate.

“Feeling better?” Heinwald asked.

“Yeah,” Curran replied, “Damn I knew it would be spicy, but I wasn’t thinking it would be _that_ bad…”

“To be fair it _is_ called the Crimson Phoenix. I don’t know what else you would expect.”

“Yeah, yeah, I had it coming… Guess it’s what I get for trying to impress you.”

“If it’s any consolation, you gave me a good laugh.”

“I suppose that makes things a bit better. It is always nice to see you smiling and laughing.”

Heinwald clutched his chopsticks as blush spread across his cheeks. He didn’t say another word, continuing to slurp up his noodles so Curran wouldn’t notice how flustered he was. Curran shrugged, polishing off the rest of his meal as well. As soon as he had plucked the last noodle from his soup, he picked up the bowl, swallowing the rest of the soup and wiping his mouth.

“Man I’m stuffed,” Curran sighed, “Is there anything else you want, or should I ask for the check.”

“You can go ahead and get the check,” Heinwald replied, finishing off his ramen as well, “I have to go to the bathroom, but just let me know how much I owe you after you pay.”

“Mmk.”

Heinwald stood up from his chair, walking to the bathroom in the back of the restaurant. In the mean time, Curran flagged down their waiter, who had printed out a receipt and brought him the order’s bill. Because Curran didn’t get too many toppings and Heinwald went for a signature ramen instead of a customizable one, the bill ended up a lot cheaper than he expected. Whenever they went out, Heinwald always insisted on going Dutch, splitting the bill to avoid putting a financial burden on each other. But today, Heinwald had slipped away before he could enforce the rule. Today Curran was going to be a gentleman and pay for his boyfriend’s lunch, whether Heinwald liked it or not. He hastily slipped his card into the bill, handing it back to the waiter. If Heinwald came back before he could sign it off and conveniently “lose” the receipt, his plan would fail. Fortunately for him, the waiter was on his toes, quickly bringing the receipt back for him to sign. Curran rapidly scribbled his signature onto the slip, put his card back in his wallet, and returned it to the waiter just in time for Heinwald to come walking out of the restroom.

“How much do I owe you?” Heinwald asked as the two walked out of the restaurant.

“Nothing,” Curran replied, “Lunch is on me today.”

“Curran, wasn’t it expensive? Are you sure you can afford it?”

“It wasn’t too bad. Besides, can’t I treat you from time to time?”

“I appreciate the thought… Thank you for lunch, Curran, but I will pay for karaoke. I don’t want you going broke for my sake. Being a gentleman means nothing when you’re spending what you can’t afford.”

“Fair enough. So I take it you want to do karaoke next?”

“Unless there was something else you’d rather do.”

“Nah, karaoke sounds like fun. Let’s head on over to the Tsubaki Court. They’ve got a great karaoke place there.”

Heinwald held tight to Curran’s hand as they walked through Little Hinomoto. Pop up shops, cosmetic stores, bakeries, and confectionaries lined the street. If he weren’t so stuffed from eating an entire bowl of ramen, Heinwald would have definitely wanted to grab some dessert from one of these establishments. Mitarashi dango, mochi ice cream, taiyaki, even macarons. The sweets on display in the windows all looked so tantalizing, but he couldn’t eat another bite.

The two crossed the street, making their way to what looked almost like a miniature mall. The building was only three stories tall, but it had a myriad of shops contained within. A convenience store, a grocery store, and of course several restaurants and clothing stores on the upper levels. They walked over to the escalator, ascending to the second floor. A row of photobooths lined the side of the elevator landing, and after crossing a communal sitting area, Curran spotted the place he always went for karaoke. This particular establishment was nice because of their soundproof rooms. Even the most tone deaf of singers could belt out songs without fear of being judged by people in the next room over.

“How long do you want to do karaoke for?” Curran asked, “It’s $10 for an hour.”

“That’s not bad,” Heinwald replied, “But maybe just an hour anyway. Just so we still have time to visit the arcade and shops.”

“Sounds good to me.”

The two walked inside, noticing a girl wearing headphones sitting behind the counter. As soon as she noticed her customers, she took her headphones off, sitting upright in her chair.

“How can I help you?” she asked.

“We’d like to do an hour of karaoke,” Curran replied.

“That’ll be $10.”

Heinwald pulled out his wallet, paying the woman with a crisp, ten-dollar bill. She tucked it away in the cash register and stood up from her chair, leading the two to a room marked with the letter C. The interior of the room was lined with mirrors, black leather couches pressed against the wall. A black coffee table with two books full of songs, an ipad, and two microphones sat at the center of the room, and a wall mounted flat screen television glowed in wait.

“Are there any refreshments I can get for you?” she asked, “Snacks, drinks...”

“We’re fine,” Curran responded.

“I’ll give you a five minute warning when your time is almost up.”

Without another word, the woman closed the door, returning to her station up front and leaving the two alone in the room. Curran immediately bolted for the ipad, looking up the song he wanted to sing while Heinwald skimmed through the books. One contained primarily Hinomotoan songs while the other was filled with Alberian favorites.

“Mind if I go first, Heinwald?” Curran asked.

“Go ahead,” Heinwald smiled, “It’ll give me more time to chose a song.”

Curran pressed the “select song” button on the ipad, sending the song’s audio to the speakers and lyrics to the television screen. He picked up one of the two microphones, a small red light glowing on it to indicate it was on, and held it to his mouth in anticipation. The second he heard that rhythmic drum beat, those triumphant trumpet sounds, Heinwald immediately recognized the song. It was such an iconic tune, but it still came as somewhat of a shock that Curran would chose to sing it, especially considering it was from a children’s animated movie. As soon as the chorus dropped, Curran began belting out the song passionately.

“ _LET’S GET DOWN TO BUSINESS!”_ he sang, “ _TO DEFEAT, THE HUNS_!”

Heinwald chuckled and set aside the book of songs, picking up the other microphone to join in with Curran.

“ _Did they send me daughters_ ,” Heinwald continued, “ _When I asked, for sons?”_

_“You’re the saddest bunch I’ve ever met,” Curran smirked, “But you can bet, before we’re through.”_

_“Somehow I’ll…”_

_“Make a man…”_

_“OUT OF YOUUUUUU!”_

As they continued singing, Heinwald couldn’t help but smile. Curran could barely carry a tune, but Heinwald didn’t mind. He liked how fervently Curran belted out the melody, and the song brought back some nostalgic memories. Before he knew it, the song was over, the queue empty since Heinwald had still yet to choose a song.

“ _I’ll Make a Man out of You,_ hm?” Heinwald chuckled, “I wasn’t expecting that song choice from you.”

“It’s kind of a tradition for me,” Curran explained, “Whenever I go to karaoke, I’ve gotta sing it.”

“Fair enough. Pass me the ipad. I believe it’s my turn to choose the song, isn’t it?”

Curran handed off the tablet to Heinwald, who typed a song title into the search bar. The title that flashed across the screen was one Curran didn’t recognize, but it looked to be something from a musical.

“ _Did I abuse her or show her disdain? Why does she run from me?_ ” Heinwald sang, _“If I should lose her how shall I regain, the heart she has won from me? Agonyyyy! Beyond power of speech! When the one thing you want, is the only thing out of your reach…”_

Curran’s jaw dropped as he heard Heinwald sang. Their “opening duet” was little more than Curran belting over him, so hearing Heinwald’s voice on his own was mesmerizing. He had such a deep, silky baritone, his melodic tones flowing like honey. Curran always came to karaoke just to have fun and sing, no matter how bad he sounded. Yet listening to Heinwald made him feel like he was being serenaded, and he was half tempted to just let Heinwald choose the rest of the songs, purely to hear that angelic voice sing even more for him. The song came to a decrescendo all too soon, and Heinwald set down his microphone and passed back the ipad. Curran stood up from the couch, clapping and whistling.

“Bravo!” he cheered, “Encore! Encore!”

“Curran…” Heinwald blushed, “It was just karaoke.”

“I had no idea you had such amazing pipes Hein! Did you do theatre when you were in high school or something?”

“I didn’t, but my old friend Lucretia did. I helped her prepare for auditions all the time and volunteered to usher for her shows whenever she got the part.”

“Have you considered ever joining the theatre club at UNA? Or maybe auditioning for one of their shows? You’ve certainly got the voice for it!”

“What? No I could never… I don’t have the stage presence for theatre. Besides, Lucretia was one of the few theatre kids I got along with. Most of the theatre kids, at least at my high school, were self-absorbed divas who thrived on gossip. It’s far too catty of an environment for me.”

“Things might be different in college though. I mean, if you don’t want to you don’t have to, but I think it would be pretty cool to see you perform.”

“Well… I’ll consider it, I suppose.”

Heinwald handed the ipad back to Curran. Yet to his surprise, instead of accepting it to choose their next song, he pulled Heinwald in close with him, looking him in the eyes sincerely.

“Wanna pick the next song with me and sing it together?” Curran suggested, “My voice isn’t as pretty as yours, but…”

“I’d love to,” Heinwald cooed, “What song were you thinking?”

“It should probably be something we both know.”

The two gazed down at the glowing ipad, scrolling through the song options. Suddenly, Heinwald stopped, pointing out a song that he liked.

“How about this one, Curran?” he asked.

Curran smirked as he looked at the title, “Sure! I love this song.”

Curran selected the song, sending it to the queue. The slow, romantic tune began to play from the speakers, and Curran and Heinwald each grabbed a microphone, preparing to sing their hearts out to each other.

_“What would I do without your smart mouth,”_ Heinwald sang, _“Drawing me in and you kicking me out, you’ve got my head spinning, no kidding. I can’t pin you down.”_

 _“What’s going on in that beautiful mind?”_ Curran joined in, _“I’m on your magical mystery ride. And I’m so dizzy, don’t know what hit me, but I’ll be alright.”_

The two joined looked deep into each others’ eyes, singing together in unison as the song came to its chorus.

_“My head’s underwater, but I’m breathing fine,”_ they harmonized, _“You’re crazy and I’m out of my mind.”_

Curran closed the gap between them, drawing Heinwald in close. The two swayed to the tune of the music, dancing and gazing lovingly at each other as they continued to sing.

_“Cause all of me, loves all of you,”_ they sang, _“Love your curves and all your edges, all your perfect imperfections. Give your all to me, I’ll give my all to you. You’re my end and my beginning. Even when I lose I’m winning. ‘Cause I give you all of me, and you give me all of you, ohh…”_

Heinwald cocked his head, planting a gentle kiss on Curran’s lips. Curran closed his eyes, the music still carrying on behind them, yet neither cared to sing anymore, choosing to make music through embrace instead. He wrapped his arms around Heinwald, threading his fingers through his hair and caressing his scalp as he deepened the kiss. They dropped their mics, migrating to the couch. As the instrumental reached its climactic bridge, the pair had moved far beyond chaste kissing. Heinwald was straddling his lover, heat beginning to pool in the pit of his stomach as the two made out passionately. He could feel Curran growing hard as well, their clothed erections grinding together, mewls escaping from his mouth thanks to the delectable friction between them. Curran’s hands wandered, groping and caressing Heinwald’s defined hips, his toned ass. Even with the barrier of his clothing, Heinwald still shivered at Curran’s touch, his mind growing foggier by the second.

“Curran,” Heinwald cooed breathlessly, “I love you.”

“I love you too Hein,” Curran grunted, “Damn, how are you so sexy?”

Heinwald’s breath hitched as he felt Curran’s hands grip tightly at his hips, the other grinding his straining hard on against his cheeks. He cried out, his face growing hot and his breathing ragged.

“Curran, w-wait,” he panted.

“You ok Hein?” Curran worried, “Was it too much?”

Heinwald shook his head, looking at him straight in the eyes.

“Fuck me,” he begged.

“Wait, _here?_ ” Curran swallowed hard.

“I need you so badly Curran… The plug isn’t enough.”

_“P-plug?”_

Curran inquisitively dipped his hand past the waist belt of Heinwald’s slacks, sliding into his underwear. He spread apart the soft globes of Heinwald’s cheeks, feeling for the pucker of his hole. Yet instead, he was greeted with springy touch of silicon. He pressed against it, making Heinwald’s hips buck backward and his face contort in pleasure.

“How…” Curran choked, “How long have you been wearing this Hein?”

“I put it in after lunch,” he whimpered, “I wanted to be ready for you just in case.”

“Fuck that’s hot…”

Heinwald cried out at Curran tugged gently on the plug, the stretch on his rim sending sparks up his spine.

“Stop teasing me and fuck me already…” Heinwald whined.

“I don’t know,” Curran worried, “I mean… as hot as it would be to do you right here, we don’t exactly have any condoms or lube… Besides, do you really want to lose your virginity in a karaoke booth?”

“I suppose you have a point… But might I suggest a compromise?”

“And what would that be?”

Heinwald crawled off of Curran’s lap, getting on his knees. His face gravitated towards Curran’s crotch, his breath so hot and heavy that Curran could even feel it through his pants.

“Let me suck you off,” Heinwald suggested, “It would reflect poorly on us if we walked out of here tenting, wouldn’t it?”

_“Fuck…”_ Curran hissed.

Heinwald had already begun peppering kisses against his clothed member, making Curran’s pants feel even tighter than before. He looked so sexy like this, and Curran would be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t fantasized about Heinwald blowing him before.

“Please?” Heinwald teased.

“You’re gonna have to swallow if I let you do it,” Curran said, “We’d get in a lot of trouble if we made a mess.”

“So is that a yes?”

“Go ahead.”

Heinwald unzipped Curran’s pants, pulling down the elastic of his underwear to release his cock. It was already practically drooling with precum, the tip glistening lewdly. Heinwald pressed his lips against the swelling head, its musky scent driving him wild. He kissed it gently before locking his lips around it, bobbing his head up and down the shaft. Curran grunted, immediately bucking his hips into the soft warmth of Heinwald’s mouth. His tongue seemed to wrap around his member, lapping at just the right spots.

“Fuck…” Curran hissed, “You’re really good at this.”

Heinwald pulled off for a brief moment, his lips glistening with saliva and precum as a viscous string of spit still connected his mouth to the tip of Curran’s cock.

“Thank you,” he smirked, “If it feels good, you don’t have to hold back Curran. You can fuck my throat if you want.”

“You sure?”

Heinwald didn’t even respond. He simply parted his lips, diving back down onto Curran’s cock. Curran hissed as the head of his cock grazed Heinwald’s soft palate, nudging into the back of his throat. It made Heinwald cough and sputter slightly, but he didn’t look pained. Instead, he winked coquettishly, deepthroating Curran’s cock all the way to the base. The look on his face practically screamed _“See, I can handle it.”_

“You trying to show off for me?” Curran growled.

“Mmby,” Heinwald mumbled, his speech muffled as he continued to stroke Curran’s cock with his tongue.

“You little tease… Then you asked for it. I’m not holding back now.”

Curran tugged on Heinwald’s hair, slamming his cock down Heinwald’s throat. The sudden thrust made Heinwald gag, tears starting to spill from his eyes, but he didn’t seem to mind. Curran licked his lips as he fucked Heinwald’s throat, savoring the sight of Heinwald’s beautiful face now soiled with tears, snot, and saliva. He wore the face of a whore, and Curran could definitely get used to seeing him like this. The lewd faces he made, that wet grumble vibrating in the back of his throat, those crimson eyes glazed over in lust; Heinwald was so damn erotic.

“Fuck, I’m gonna cum soon…” Curran grunted, “You ready to swallow it all babe? If you spill even a single drop, I’m gonna have to punish you for being a bad boy when we get home.”

“Mhm,” Heinwald mewled, nodding his head.

With one final thrust, Curran poured his seed down Heinwald’s throat, shaking his hips as he rode out his orgasm. Heinwald’s throat contracted around him, practically squeezing his cum out as he swallowed every last drop. He pulled his softening cock from Heinwald’s mouth, cupping his cheeks and looked at that soft, glistening tongue.

“Looks like you got it all,” Curran praised, “Good boy.”

“You taste good Curran,” Heinwald replied, his voice now slightly raspy from the blowjob, “You might have awakened an oral fixation in me.”

“Well if it means getting more blowjobs like that, I’m glad I did. Do you want me to take care of you now?”

“I think I might want to wait until we get home. I want to save everything for when you’re fucking my brains out.”

“You really are more than what meets the eye, aren’t you Hein? Underneath that pretty face and brilliant mind is a kinky little masochistic slut who thirsts for cock.”

“Guilty as charged.”

Just as Curran zipped up his pants and straightened out his clothes, there was a knock at the door. It looked like their hour was almost up.

“Well I guess that’s perfect timing,” Curran said, “Did you still want to go to the arcade after this, or…”

“Let’s go home,” Heinwald begged, “I’m ready for you. That is, unless you would rather…”

Curran interrupted him with a kiss, slapping his ass sharply and making him cry out in pleasure.

“You did such a good job swallowing everything,” Curran growled, “I think you’ve earned a reward.”

Heinwald shivered as Curran kissed his neck, sucking hard enough to leave a bright purple hickey. He looked aside embarrassedly, pulling up his collar to hide the love mark.

“Enough teasing me, Curran,” Heinwald mewled, “Let’s head home.”

Curran chuckled, kissing him chastely, “Whatever you say, cutie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Songs used were "I'll Make a Man out of You" from Mulan, "Agony" from Into the Woods, and "All of You" by John Legend.


End file.
